Discover IslamEdited by

Al-Jumuah staff- 2 -Ministry of Islamic Affairs Endowments Dawah and GuidanceKingdom of Saudi ArabiaThe authors views expressed in this publication do notnecessarily reflect the views of the Ministry of Islamic AffairsEndowments Dawah and GuidanceFirst Edition1428 H ndash 2007 G- 3 -Table of Contents1 Foreword 52 Islamic Beliefs 63 The Requirements of Islam 134 Muhammad the Messenger of Allah () 195 Questions and Answers 276 Creedal Issues 27Who is Allah Do Muslims worship a different God 27The Quran uses the word We when quoting GodDoes that mean that Muslims believe in more than oneGod 29The Quran says that Allah is merciful and that He gives

severe punishment Is He forgiving or Is He vengeful 30Some believe that Muslims worship Muhammad Is ittrue 33Is Islam fatalistic 34How can you confirm the existence of life after death 367 The Quran and other Scriptures 40Is it not true that Muhammad wrote the Quran orcopied from the Bible 40How does the Quran differ from other scriptures 468 Jesus the Messenger of Allah () 48Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesus orother prophets 48What does the Quran say about Jesus () 509 Islam science and health ma1048628ers 52Is Islam opposed to knowledge and science 52The Quran says that only Allah knows what is inthe womb Does this not contradict medical science 56The Quran mentions that man is created from dust andit mentions that he is created from sperm Isnt thiscontradictory 57- 4 -Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibited 5910 Women in Islam 62Does Islam oppress women 62Why do Muslim women wear the veil 64Why does Islam permit polygamy 66Why cant a woman from having more than one

husband 70Why does Islam impose such harsh punishments forsex outside marriage 71Under Islamic law why is a womans share of inheritedwealth half that of a mans 7311 Islam and Terrorism 77What is Jihad 77Is Islam a militant religion 80Are Muslims terrorists 83How can Islam be called a religion of peace when ldquoitwas spread by the swordrdquo 85 The Quran says that Muslims should kill the nonbelieverswherever they find them Does this mean thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutality 9012 Universality of the Message of Islam 93Is it true that Islam is a religion only for Arabs 93All religions basically teach their followers to do gooddeeds so why should a person follow Islam 94A Final Word 97- 5 -Discover IslamEdited by al-Jumuah StaffForewordThere is hardly any place on earth today whereIslam is totally unknown More and more peoplehave become curious enough to find out somethingabout this much publicized religion more often than

not they have been pleasantly surprisedIslam is the religion and way of life of about onefifth of the worlds population Muslims are ofdiverse nationalities cultures and races but theirreligion teaches that all humanity is essentially equalIslam is generally misunderstood and misrepresentedin contemporary Western societies therefore itis hoped that this booklet will help shed light onIslam and dispel many of the prevailingmisconceptionsWith this objective in mind al-Jumuah Magazinepresents a brief overview of Islam followed byanswers to some of the most commonly askedquestions by non-Muslims- 6 -Islamic BeliefsThe Islamic creed did not begin with the prophethoodof Muhammad ()1 nor was it invented byhim It is essentially the same message contained inprevious divine scriptures and taught by all prophetsof Allah Islamic beliefs are eternal truths that neitherchange nor develop they provide truths about Allahand His relationship with the visible and invisibleaspects of the universe about the reality of this lifemans role therein and what will become of himafterwards The requirements or pillars of the

Islamic faith are belief in Allah in the angels createdby Him in His scriptures in the prophets throughwhom His revelation was conveyed to humanity inthe eternal life after death and in Allahs perfectjudgment and complete authority over humandestinyBelief in AllahMonotheism is the essence of Islam and itemphasizes the Oneness of Allah Muslims believe inOne eternal and unique God He is the Creator of allthat exists yet He cannot be compared to anything ofHis creation Muslims acknowledge that Allah alone1 This symbol means may Allah exalt his mention and renderhim safe from all evil- 7 -is divine that He alone is the Creator and Sustainerof creation He is all-knowing and all-powerfulcompletely just and mercifulAllah is not part of His creation nor is any of it apart of Him The significance of exclusive divinity isthat no one and nothing in existence is worthy to beworshipped except Allah the Creator and Sustainerof all things In Islam everything is built upon theOneness of Allah No act of worship has any

meaning if the concept of monotheism is in any waycompromisedThe proper name of God is Allah He is thesame God known to Christians Jews and to peopleof other monotheistic faiths Allah sent a series ofmessages to mankind through appointed prophetsand messengers Quite a few of them are familiar topeople of Judeo-Christian background such asAdam Noah Abraham Moses Jesus and manyothers ()2Belief in the AngelsMuslims believe that Angels exist No one knowstheir exact number except Him They obey Himfulfill His commands and guard over the universeand the creatures that dwell within it They carry out2 This symbol means may Allah redner him safe from all eviland is said after a Prophet or Messengers name- 8 -the orders of Allah from administrationobservation guarding and protecting the universe aswell as its creatures all according to Allahs Will andOrder Allah has revealed to us the names of some ofthe angels for example Gabriel who was given thetask of revelation Michael who has been assignedthe task of directing rain and vegetation There isalso the Angel of Death who has been given the task

of collecting the souls at their appointed timesBelief in the ScripturesMuslims also believe in the original scripturesrevealed by Allah such as the Scriptures of Abrahamand Moses the Torah the Psalms of David and theGospel of Jesus The final revelation to humanity isthe Quran which was revealed to ProphetMuhammad () The Quran remains preserved andunchanged since the time of revelation in its originalArabic text There is only one version of the QuranIt is recited and memorized by Muslims throughoutthe world It contains the final message to humanityand legislation which both encompasses all spheresof human life and is also suited to all peoples and alltimes Moreover it contains numerous verses thatspeak of the universe its components andphenomena - the earth sun moon stars mountainswind rivers and seas plants animals as well as thesuccessive stages of human embryonic development- 9 -One of the miracles of the Quran and evidence of itsdivine origins is that nothing within it contradictsany established scientific fact

Belief in the MessengersA Muslim is required to believe that Allah chosethe finest amongst humanity to be Messengerswhom He sent to His creation with specificlegislations to worship and obey Him and toestablish His religion and His Oneness Allah theAlmighty saysAnd We did not send any Messenger beforeyou [O Muhammad ()] but We inspired him[saying] none has the right to be worshippedbut I (Allah) so worship Me (Alone and noneelse) [2125]The last of the divinely appointed messengerswas Prophet Muhammad () To him was conveyedthe final and complete revelation from Allah All theprophets preached the same basic message theworship of Allah alone In essence they all preachedIslam which means willing peaceful submission toAllah the one true God Creator of the universeThe final prophet was sent by the Creator as ahuman model to be followed and obeyed ProphetMuhammad () exemplified the principles laid- 10 -down in the Quran and true Muslims strive tofollow his noble example His biography has beenrecorded in minute detail and is easily accessible forstudy There is a complete authentically narrateddocumentation of his sayings and practices which isthe second source of Islamic legislation It iscomplementary to the Quran and supplements it

with additional details and clarification of meaningsThis record contains the prophetic traditions referredto as the Sunnah Scholars have carefully andpainstakingly scrutinized the reliability of thetransmitters of these traditions and only thosewhose narrators are found to be completely reliableand sound are acceptedBelief in the Last DayMuslims believe that the life of this world willcome to an end Allah saysWhatsoever is on it (ie the earth) will perish[5526]The Day of Resurrection is the day when eachindividual will stand before Allah and be questionedabout their deeds The compensation for evil in theHereafter is exact justice while the compensation forgood is much greater - comprehensive multiplerewards and complete satisfaction and happiness- 11 -People will be judged according to their degree ofrighteousness and nothing else Allah saysWhoever brings a good deed shall have tentimes the like thereof to his (or her) credit andwhoever brings an evil deed shall have only therecompense of the like thereof [6160]A person is rewarded for merely intending to dogood even if they do not follow up that intentionwith action Prophet Muhammad () mentioned that

Allah saidldquoWhoever intends to perform a good deed butdoes not do it Allah records it for him as onegood deed If one intends to do a good deed anddoes it Allah records for him the like thereoften times up to seven hundred times to manytimes If one intends to do an evil deed butdoes not do it Allah records it for him as onegood deed If one intends to do an evil deed anddoes it Allah records it only as one evil deedrdquo[Bukhari]- 12 -Belief in PredestinationMuslims believe in predestination whether goodor bad which Allah has measured and ordained forall creatures according to His previous knowledgeand as deemed suitable by His wisdom Allah theAll-Knowing knows everything that happened inthe past everything that is happening now and allthat will happen in the future Humankind has beengiven free will and the choice of whether or not tofollow what Allah ordained He has been given amind with which he is able to reason and choosewisely- 13 -The Requirements of IslamThe five pillars of Islam make up the frameworkof a Muslims life they are1 The Shahadah or Declaration of FaithTo be a Muslim one must believe in andpronounce words that mean There is no deity worthy

of being worshipped except Allah and Muhammad is Hisslave and messenger3 This declaration testifies thatAllah exists that He is unlike and superior to Hiscreation and that none is worthy of worship butHim It also testifies that He is the Creator andProprietor of all that exists and Disposer of all affairsAllah says in the QuranNo doubt Verily to Allah belongs whosoeveris in the heavens and whosoever is in the earthAnd those that worship and invoke othersbesides Allah in fact follow not theseassociated-gods they follow only a conjectureand they invent only lies [1066]3 The Arabic wording is Laa ilaahah illal-laah Muhammad RasoolAllah- 14 -The Shahadah testifies that Muhammad is amongthe prophets who conveyed Allahs revelation tohumankind Allah saysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad ())except to all of humankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]In fact it is stated in the Quran that Muhammad() is the last of Allahs messengers Allah saysMuhammad is not the father of any manamong you but he is the Messenger of Allahand the last of the Prophets [3340]The Quran also confirms that Muhammadsteachings are infallible and conveyed from Allah

Allah saysNor does he speak of (his own) desire It is onlyan Inspiration that is inspired [533-4]Thus the Quran and Sunnah of the finalprophet are the basis of the religion and they defineevery aspect of the Islamic way of life- 15 -2 The Salah or Formal Obligatory PrayerPrayer was practiced in some form throughouthistory by all prophets and their followers as anindispensable part of Allahs religion Islam the finalmessage to humanity considers prayer essential AMuslim is required to pray five times daily withinspecified intervals as taught by the Prophet ()These prayers are obligatory and form a direct bondbetween the worshipper and his Creator Islam doesnot call upon Muslims to merely perform this act ofworship rather it wants of them to purify theirsouls Allah () says regarding PrayerIndeed the prayer prevents [you] fromlicentiousness and [other] sins [2945]3 Zakah or Obligatory Annual CharityThe word Zakah means purification andgrowth An important principle of Islam is that allthings belong to Allah Muslims are enjoined to earnand spend their wealth in ways that are acceptable toAllah The divinely ordained system of Zakah is the

right of Allah within His dominion It is neither acharity nor a tax but an obligation due fromMuslims who possess wealth in excess of their basicneeds Thus the difference between Zakah and tax isthat a Muslim pays Zakah willfully and on their ownaccord they are the ones who supervise its payment- 16 -Zakah is only due when a person has the minimumrequired amount which varies with the type ofwealthZakah cleanses a Muslim of greed selfishnessbase covetousness and the love of this temporalworld Allah () saysAnd whosoever is saved from his owncovetousness such are they who will be thesuccessful [599]It is the ideal way to meet the needs of the poorersections of society without causing hardship to thewealthy4 Siyam or FastingAllah has enjoined fasting upon the Muslims asHe enjoined it upon previous nations He theExalted saysO you who believe Fasting has beenprescribed for you as it was prescribed for thosebefore you that you may become the pious[2183]Islamic fasting which involves abstinence fromeating drinking sexual intercourse and allprohibited habits such as smoking is observed

throughout the daylight hours of the lunar month of- 17 -Ramadhan When done in obedience to Godscommand fasting teaches believers patience andself-control as well as reminding them of theirresponsibility toward the millions of human beingswho lack provisions or are victims of their unjustdistribution The month of fasting is accompanied byincreased efforts toward good manners andrighteous deeds along with additional worship atnight Fasting is not a retreat from life rather it is asupplement to the Muslims ordinary activities5 Hajj or PilgrimageHajj the annual pilgrimage to Makkah (in SaudiArabia) is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for thosewho are physically and financially able to perform itAllah saysPilgrimage to the House (ie the Kabah) isincumbent upon men for the sake of Allah(upon) everyone who is able to undertake thejourney to it [397]Nevertheless millions of Muslims journey toMakkah each year from every corner of the globeproviding a unique opportunity for people ofvarious nations to meet one another as guests ofAllah Hajj is an expression of pure faith and totalsubmission to His command and the pilgrim- 18 -performs rites of unqualified obedience seekingnothing but the acceptance of their efforts and

forgiveness of their past sins A person who hascompleted the Hajj returns with a fresh outlook onlife a purified soul and blessings from Allah- 19 -Muhammad the Messenger of Allah ()IntroductionIt all began in the year 610 CE4 with a fewbrave individuals differing in tribe status andgender secretly winding through the alleys ofMakkah to meet the man known as Al-Ameen (iethe trustworthy) One by one they went likestealthy shadows in the moonlight hoping not tobe noticed and reported to powerful city leadersThey were prepared to sacrifice it all ndash theircultures families even their own lives ndash for thesake of worshipping One True GodAl-Ameen had called them to cast aside the paganreligion of their forefathers and to embrace puremonotheism The 40-year-old man whose namewas Muhammad () claimed that Allah saw allpeople men and women free and enslaved asequal A message which would in two shortdecades bring peace to the war-torn ArabianPeninsula and beyond a message forbidding tribalfeudalism and corruption by any leader a messagethat came to be known as ldquoIslamrdquo calling fordevotion and submission to God alone4 Common Era or Christian Era in preference to AD (AnnoDomini) meaning lsquothe year of the Lordrsquo- 20 -Who was heMuhammad () was a man of noble descent Hewas a paradigm of excellent manners Allah the

Exalted praised him sayingAnd verily you (O Muhammad ) are on anexalted (standard of) character [684]His enemies attested to his excellent mannersAbu Jahl who was one of the harshest enemies ofIslam said lsquoO Muhammad I do not say that youare a liar I only deny what you brought and whatyou call people torsquoSome of his Companions described his mannerssayinglsquoHe was never rough He never raised his voicein public or used foul language He did notrepay evil with evil rather he forgave andpardoned He did not raise his hand to hit aservant or woman He would not becomeangry if he was wronged nor would he avengehimself He only became angry when peopletransgressed the limits and boundaries ofAllah in that case he avenged The Prophet ()was not given a choice between two mattersexcept that he chose the easier of the two aslong as it was not a sinful act If that act was asinful act he would be the farthest from it- 21 -When he entered his home he was a normalindividual he would clean his clothes milkhis sheep and serve himselfThomas Carlyle the famous Scottish writerattested to this He said in his book lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in HistoryrsquoBut from an early age he had been remarkedas a thoughtful man His companions namedhim Al Amin The Faithful A man of truth andfidelity true in what he did in what he spoke

and thought They noted that he always meantsomething A man rather taciturn in speechsilent when there was nothing to be said butpertinent wise sincere when he did speakalways throwing light on the matter This is theonly sort of speech worth speaking Throughlife we find him to have been regarded as analtogether solid brotherly genuine man Aserious sincere character yet amiable cordialcompanionable jocose even - a good laugh inhim withal there are men whose laugh is asuntrue as anything about them who cannotlaugh A spontaneous passionate yet just truemeaningman Full of wild faculty fire andlight of wild worth all uncultured working outhis life - takes in the depth of the Desert thereThey called him a prophet you say Why hestood there face to face with them here not- 22 -enshrined in any mystery visibly clouting hisown cloak cobbling his own shoes fightingcounseling ordering in the midst of them Theymust have seen what kind of a man he was lethim be called what ye like No emperor with histiaras was obeyed as this man in a cloak of hisown clouting During three and twenty years ofrough actual trial I find something of averitable hero necessary for that of itselfIf we say the physical appearance of a personinfluences their personality as do sociologists theProphet () was the most beautiful of people as hiscompanions who saw him informed us TheProphet () was of a slightly above-average height

Amazingly in gatherings he would appear tallerthan those actually taller than him - until thepeople dispersed In complexion he was whitewith a rosy tinge pale but not excessively so Hishair was jet black and wavy but stopped short ofcurling and was kept between his earlobes andshoulders Sometimes he would part his hair at themiddle Other times he would wear it braided TheProphet () had the physique of a powerful manHe had a broad upper-back and shouldersbetween which was the Seal of Prophet-hood Hehad long muscular limbs large joints and a widegirth His lean stomach never protruded out pastthe profile of his chest His face was radiant ldquoas ifthe sun were following its course across and- 23 -shining from his facerdquo His shoulders were broadhe was of medium height neither too tall nor shortHe was pleasant looking and majestic people werefull of awe when they saw him for the first timeand knew that his face was not one of a liarPropheciesProphet Jesus () foretold the coming ofanother Prophet whose name would belsquoPeriqlytosrsquo or lsquoParacletersquo or lsquoParacalonrsquo and who(that is whose teaching) would last forever lsquoI willpray the Father and He shall give you anotherComforter (Periqlytos) that he may abide withyou foreverrsquo [John 14 16]The word periqlytos means lsquoillustriouslsquorenownedrsquo and lsquopraiseworthyrsquo and this is exactlywhat the name lsquoAhmedrsquo means It is confirmed inthe Qurrsquoan that the Prophet Jesus did prophesize

that a Prophet named lsquoAhmedrsquo would come afterhimAllah the Exalted saysAnd remember when Jesus the son of Marysaid ldquoO Children of Israel I am the Messengerof Allah unto you confirming the Torah whichcame before me and giving glad tidings of a- 24 -Messenger to come after me whose name shallbe Ahmed [616]The Jews sent priests to John the Baptist tofind out who he was lsquoHe confessed ldquoI am not theChristrdquo And they asked him lsquorsquoWhat then Are youElijahrdquo And He said ldquoI am notrdquo lsquorsquoAre you thatProphetrdquo They insisted And he answered ldquoNordquohellipAnd then they said to him ldquoWhy do you baptizethen if you are not the Christ nor Elijah nor thatProphetrdquo (John 120-25)That Prophet is not Jesus but Muhammad ()because John the Baptist continued preaching andbaptizing and foretelling the coming of that Prophetduring the life-time of JesusWhat they said about Muhammad ()Alphonse de Lamartine said lsquoNever has a manset for himself voluntarily or involuntarily a moresublime aim since this aim was superhuman tosubvert superstitions which had been imposedbetween man and his Creator to render God untoman and man unto God to restore the rational andsacred idea of divinity amidst the chaos of thematerial and disfigured gods of idolatry thenexisting Never has a man undertaken a work sofar beyond human power with so feeble means for

- 25 -he (Muhammad) had in the conception as well asin the execution of such a great design no otherinstrument than himself and no other aid except ahandful of men living in a corner of the desertFinally never has a man accomplished such a hugeand lasting revolution in the world because in lessthan two centuries after its appearance Islam infaith and in arms reigned over the whole ofArabia and conquered in Gods name PersiaKhorasan Transoxania Western India SyriaEgypt Abyssinia all the known continent ofNorthern Africa numerous islands of theMediterranean Sea Spain and part of Gaul Ifgreatness of purpose smallness of means andastonishing results are the three criteria of a humangenius who could dare compare any great man inhistory with Muhammadrdquorsquo5George Bernard Shaw said lsquoI have always heldthe religion of Muhammad in high estimationbecause of its wonderful vitality It is the onlyreligion which appears to possess that assimilatingcapability to the changing phases of existencewhich make itself appeal to every age - I haveprophesized about the faith of Muhammad that itwould be acceptable tomorrow as it is beginning to5 Alphonse de LaMartaine in Histoire de la Turquie Paris1854- 26 -be acceptable to the Europe of today Medievalecclesiastics either through ignorance or bigotrypainted Mohammedanism in the darkest colors

They were in fact trained to hate both the manMuhammad and his religion To them Muhammadwas an anti-Christ I have studied him thewonderful man and in my opinion far from beingan anti-Christ he must be called the Savior ofhumanity - rsquo6The German Poet Wolfgang Goumlthe7 said lsquoIlooked into history for a human paradigm andfound it to be in Muhammad ()rsquo6 The Genuine Islam Vol 1 No 8 19367 A German writer and scientist Master of poetry dramaand the novel he also conducted scientific research invarious fields notably botany and held severalgovernmental positions- 27 -QUESTIONS AND ANSWERSCreedal Issues1) Who is Allah Do Muslims worship a differentGodSome people believe that Muslims worship a Godthat is different from the one worshipped byChristians and Jews This might be due to the factthat Muslims often refer to God as Allah Thisconcept is false since Allah is simply the Arabicword for the One true God Who created theuniverse and all humanity Let there be no doubt -Muslims worship the God of Noah AbrahamMoses David and Jesus () However it is certainlytrue that Jews Christians and Muslims all havedifferent concepts of Almighty God For exampleMuslims - like Jews - reject the Christian beliefs ofthe Trinity and the Divine Incarnation This

however does not mean that each of these threereligions worships a different God - because as wehave already said there is only One TrueGod Judaism Christianity and Islam all claim to beldquoAbrahamic Faithsrdquo and all of them are alsoclassified as ldquomonotheisticrdquo However Islam teachesthat other religions have in one way or anotherdistorted and nullified a pure and proper belief inAlmighty God by neglecting His true teachings and- 28 -mixing them with man-made ideas Islam calls uponpeople to return to the one true God and to worshipand obey Him alone Islam teaches that God shouldbe approached without intermediaries That isbecause the merciful all-knowing God is completelyin control of everything that exists and that He canbestow His grace and mercy on His creatures as Hepleases therefore no intercession atonement orincarnation is necessaryArabic speaking people of all religions refer toGod as Allah For example if you pick up anArabic translation of the Christian Bible you will seethe word Allah where God is used in EnglishTherefore Allah is not the god of only the Muslimsbut the same God worshipped by all monotheisticfaiths This idea that Allah is different from Godis illogical since it is tantamount to saying that theFrench worship a different god because they use

the word Dieu that Spaniards worship a differentgod because they say Dios or that the Hebrewsworshipped a different god because they calledHim YahwehThe Quran which is the divine scripture ofMuslims was revealed in the Arabic language soMuslims use the word Allah for God even whenthey are speaking other languages A more literaltranslation of Allah into English might be the oneand-only God or the one true God- 29 -It should be clearly understood that what Islam isprimarily concerned with is correcting humankindsconcept of Almighty God What people areultimately going to be held accountable for at the endof Day of Judgment is not whether they preferred theword Allah or the word God but what theirconcept of Him is The true concept of God isclarified only within the message revealed by HimThe last message sent by God or Allah is the Quran2) The Quran uses the word lsquoWersquo when quotingAllah Does that mean that Muslims believe inmore than one GodIslam adheres to uncompromising monotheism Itteaches that God is One and indivisible In theQuran God often refers to Himself as We But it

does not mean that there is more than one God Thereference of God to Himself as We in manyQuranic verses is necessarily understood in theArabic language to denote power and grandeur asopposed to the more intimate singular form I usedin specific instancesIn some languages there are two types of pluralform One is related to quantity and used to refer totwo or more persons places or things The other kindof plural is one of majesty power and distinction Forexample in proper English the Queen of Englandrefers to herself as lsquowersquo This is known as the lsquoroyal- 30 -pluralrsquo Rajeev Gandhi the ex-Prime Minister ofIndia used to say in Hindi Hum dekhna chahte hainWe want to see lsquoHumrsquo means lsquowersquo which is again aroyal plural in Hindi language Similarly when Godrefers to Himself in the Quran He sometimes usesthe Arabic word nahnu meaning lsquoWersquo It does notindicate a plurality of number but the plurality ofpower and majestyThe oneness of God is stressed throughout theQuran A clear example is in this short chapterSay He is Allah [who is] One Allah is He onWhom all depend He neither begets nor isborn nor is there to Him any equivalent [1121-4]3) The Quran says that Allah is merciful and that

He gives severe punishment So is He forgiving oris He vengefulThe Quran mentions many times that God is theMost Merciful In fact all except one of the 114chapters of the Quran begin with Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem which means I begin with thename of God the Entirely Merciful and theEspecially Merciful These two descriptions of Godare sometimes translated as The Compassionate theMerciful however in Arabic grammar both namesare an intensive form of the word mercifulRahmaan means merciful to all creation and justice is- 31 -part of this mercy Raheem means merciful especiallyto the believers and forgiveness is part of this mercyA complimentary and comprehensive meaning isintended by the use of both of them together Inaddition Allah speaks of His forgiveness throughoutthe Quran In fact Gods mercy and forgivenesshave been mentioned together more than 70 times inthe Quran Allah repeatedly reminds us sayingAnd Allah is Forgiving and MercifulBut He also gives severe punishment to thosewho deserve it Allah told Prophet Muhammad ()Inform My slaves that it is I Who am the

Forgiving the Merciful and that it is Mypunishment which is the [most] painfulpunishment [1549-50]Allah is just and His justice necessitates that Hereward those who obey and serve Him and punishthose who disobey and rebel against Him If Allahdid not punish the sinful wicked and evil peoplewho deserve to be punished it would not be justiceWhen punishment for wrongdoing is certain itserves to deter potential offenders In contrast ifAllah forgave everyone and punished no one therewould be no reason for legislation ethics or evenmorality Life on earth would be chaotic and nothing- 32 -short of anarchy True justice with its true rewardsand just penalties can only be found with Allah andthat is what He has promised in the QuranWe shall place the scales of justice for the Dayof Judgment so no soul will be dealt withunjustly at all And if there is [even] the weightof a mustard seed We will bring it forth Andsufficient are We to take account [2147]Allah forgives all those who repent and correctthemselves at any stage in their lives and He hasinvited all people to His abundant forgiveness andmercySay lsquoO My slaves who have transgressedagainst their souls Despair not of the mercy ofAllah Indeed Allah forgives all sins Indeed itis He who is the Forgiving the Merciful And

return [in repentance] to your Lord and submitto Him before the punishment comes upon youthen you will not be helped And follow thebest of what was revealed to you from your Lordbefore the punishment comes upon yousuddenly while you do not perceive [3953-5]- 33 -4) Some believe that Muslims worshipMuhammad Is this trueMuslims do not worship Muhammad () in anyway They believe that he was the last messenger sentby Allah and like all His other prophets andmessengers he was a human being However somepeople mistakenly assume that Muslims worshipMuhammad and this is one of the reasons thatMuslims were erroneously called MohammedansMuhammad like Jesus never claimed divinestatus He called people to worship Almighty Allahalone and he continually emphasized his humanityIn order to prevent his deification ProphetMuhammad () always said to refer to him asAllahs slave and messenger He () saidlsquoDo not adulate me as the Christians adulatedJesus son of Mary I am Allahs slave andmessengerrsquo (Bukhari)Muhammad was chosen to be Allahs finalmessenger and to communicate His message to usnot only in words but also as a living example of itspractical application Muslims love and respect him

because of his impeccable and upright moralcharacter and because he conveyed the truth fromAllah - which is the pure monotheism of Islam- 34 -Muslims strive to follow the great example ofProphet Muhammad () but do not worship him inany way Islam teaches Muslims to respect all ofAllahs prophets and messengers Howeverrespecting and loving them does not meanworshipping them Muslims know that all worshipand prayer must be directed to Allah aloneIn fact the worship of Muhammad - or anyoneelse ndash along with or instead of Almighty Allah isconsidered an unpardonable sin in Islam Even if aperson claims to be Muslim but worships or prays toanything other than God it invalidates ones claim toIslam The Declaration of Faith makes it clear thatMuslims must worship Allah alone5) Is Islam fatalisticMost Muslims find it rather odd that theirreligion which strikes a remarkable balance betweenfaith and deeds are sometimes accused of beingfatalistic Perhaps this misconception came aboutbecause Muslims are known to say All praise is due toAllah whenever anything good or bad happens Thisis because Muslims know that everything comesfrom God the Creator of the universe and occurs by

His will Thus a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always- 35 -for the best whether one recognizes it or not so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changedThis does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life On thecontrary Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation To be more preciseaction is a required part of ones faith If humanbeings did not have the ability to act it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things Far from being fatalistic Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to GodIslam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate Someeven say that if Allah had willed they would nothave sinned or committed crimes All of thesearguments are completely erroneous because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibited

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

severe punishment Is He forgiving or Is He vengeful 30Some believe that Muslims worship Muhammad Is ittrue 33Is Islam fatalistic 34How can you confirm the existence of life after death 367 The Quran and other Scriptures 40Is it not true that Muhammad wrote the Quran orcopied from the Bible 40How does the Quran differ from other scriptures 468 Jesus the Messenger of Allah () 48Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesus orother prophets 48What does the Quran say about Jesus () 509 Islam science and health ma1048628ers 52Is Islam opposed to knowledge and science 52The Quran says that only Allah knows what is inthe womb Does this not contradict medical science 56The Quran mentions that man is created from dust andit mentions that he is created from sperm Isnt thiscontradictory 57- 4 -Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibited 5910 Women in Islam 62Does Islam oppress women 62Why do Muslim women wear the veil 64Why does Islam permit polygamy 66Why cant a woman from having more than one

husband 70Why does Islam impose such harsh punishments forsex outside marriage 71Under Islamic law why is a womans share of inheritedwealth half that of a mans 7311 Islam and Terrorism 77What is Jihad 77Is Islam a militant religion 80Are Muslims terrorists 83How can Islam be called a religion of peace when ldquoitwas spread by the swordrdquo 85 The Quran says that Muslims should kill the nonbelieverswherever they find them Does this mean thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutality 9012 Universality of the Message of Islam 93Is it true that Islam is a religion only for Arabs 93All religions basically teach their followers to do gooddeeds so why should a person follow Islam 94A Final Word 97- 5 -Discover IslamEdited by al-Jumuah StaffForewordThere is hardly any place on earth today whereIslam is totally unknown More and more peoplehave become curious enough to find out somethingabout this much publicized religion more often than

not they have been pleasantly surprisedIslam is the religion and way of life of about onefifth of the worlds population Muslims are ofdiverse nationalities cultures and races but theirreligion teaches that all humanity is essentially equalIslam is generally misunderstood and misrepresentedin contemporary Western societies therefore itis hoped that this booklet will help shed light onIslam and dispel many of the prevailingmisconceptionsWith this objective in mind al-Jumuah Magazinepresents a brief overview of Islam followed byanswers to some of the most commonly askedquestions by non-Muslims- 6 -Islamic BeliefsThe Islamic creed did not begin with the prophethoodof Muhammad ()1 nor was it invented byhim It is essentially the same message contained inprevious divine scriptures and taught by all prophetsof Allah Islamic beliefs are eternal truths that neitherchange nor develop they provide truths about Allahand His relationship with the visible and invisibleaspects of the universe about the reality of this lifemans role therein and what will become of himafterwards The requirements or pillars of the

Islamic faith are belief in Allah in the angels createdby Him in His scriptures in the prophets throughwhom His revelation was conveyed to humanity inthe eternal life after death and in Allahs perfectjudgment and complete authority over humandestinyBelief in AllahMonotheism is the essence of Islam and itemphasizes the Oneness of Allah Muslims believe inOne eternal and unique God He is the Creator of allthat exists yet He cannot be compared to anything ofHis creation Muslims acknowledge that Allah alone1 This symbol means may Allah exalt his mention and renderhim safe from all evil- 7 -is divine that He alone is the Creator and Sustainerof creation He is all-knowing and all-powerfulcompletely just and mercifulAllah is not part of His creation nor is any of it apart of Him The significance of exclusive divinity isthat no one and nothing in existence is worthy to beworshipped except Allah the Creator and Sustainerof all things In Islam everything is built upon theOneness of Allah No act of worship has any

meaning if the concept of monotheism is in any waycompromisedThe proper name of God is Allah He is thesame God known to Christians Jews and to peopleof other monotheistic faiths Allah sent a series ofmessages to mankind through appointed prophetsand messengers Quite a few of them are familiar topeople of Judeo-Christian background such asAdam Noah Abraham Moses Jesus and manyothers ()2Belief in the AngelsMuslims believe that Angels exist No one knowstheir exact number except Him They obey Himfulfill His commands and guard over the universeand the creatures that dwell within it They carry out2 This symbol means may Allah redner him safe from all eviland is said after a Prophet or Messengers name- 8 -the orders of Allah from administrationobservation guarding and protecting the universe aswell as its creatures all according to Allahs Will andOrder Allah has revealed to us the names of some ofthe angels for example Gabriel who was given thetask of revelation Michael who has been assignedthe task of directing rain and vegetation There isalso the Angel of Death who has been given the task

of collecting the souls at their appointed timesBelief in the ScripturesMuslims also believe in the original scripturesrevealed by Allah such as the Scriptures of Abrahamand Moses the Torah the Psalms of David and theGospel of Jesus The final revelation to humanity isthe Quran which was revealed to ProphetMuhammad () The Quran remains preserved andunchanged since the time of revelation in its originalArabic text There is only one version of the QuranIt is recited and memorized by Muslims throughoutthe world It contains the final message to humanityand legislation which both encompasses all spheresof human life and is also suited to all peoples and alltimes Moreover it contains numerous verses thatspeak of the universe its components andphenomena - the earth sun moon stars mountainswind rivers and seas plants animals as well as thesuccessive stages of human embryonic development- 9 -One of the miracles of the Quran and evidence of itsdivine origins is that nothing within it contradictsany established scientific fact

Belief in the MessengersA Muslim is required to believe that Allah chosethe finest amongst humanity to be Messengerswhom He sent to His creation with specificlegislations to worship and obey Him and toestablish His religion and His Oneness Allah theAlmighty saysAnd We did not send any Messenger beforeyou [O Muhammad ()] but We inspired him[saying] none has the right to be worshippedbut I (Allah) so worship Me (Alone and noneelse) [2125]The last of the divinely appointed messengerswas Prophet Muhammad () To him was conveyedthe final and complete revelation from Allah All theprophets preached the same basic message theworship of Allah alone In essence they all preachedIslam which means willing peaceful submission toAllah the one true God Creator of the universeThe final prophet was sent by the Creator as ahuman model to be followed and obeyed ProphetMuhammad () exemplified the principles laid- 10 -down in the Quran and true Muslims strive tofollow his noble example His biography has beenrecorded in minute detail and is easily accessible forstudy There is a complete authentically narrateddocumentation of his sayings and practices which isthe second source of Islamic legislation It iscomplementary to the Quran and supplements it

with additional details and clarification of meaningsThis record contains the prophetic traditions referredto as the Sunnah Scholars have carefully andpainstakingly scrutinized the reliability of thetransmitters of these traditions and only thosewhose narrators are found to be completely reliableand sound are acceptedBelief in the Last DayMuslims believe that the life of this world willcome to an end Allah saysWhatsoever is on it (ie the earth) will perish[5526]The Day of Resurrection is the day when eachindividual will stand before Allah and be questionedabout their deeds The compensation for evil in theHereafter is exact justice while the compensation forgood is much greater - comprehensive multiplerewards and complete satisfaction and happiness- 11 -People will be judged according to their degree ofrighteousness and nothing else Allah saysWhoever brings a good deed shall have tentimes the like thereof to his (or her) credit andwhoever brings an evil deed shall have only therecompense of the like thereof [6160]A person is rewarded for merely intending to dogood even if they do not follow up that intentionwith action Prophet Muhammad () mentioned that

Allah saidldquoWhoever intends to perform a good deed butdoes not do it Allah records it for him as onegood deed If one intends to do a good deed anddoes it Allah records for him the like thereoften times up to seven hundred times to manytimes If one intends to do an evil deed butdoes not do it Allah records it for him as onegood deed If one intends to do an evil deed anddoes it Allah records it only as one evil deedrdquo[Bukhari]- 12 -Belief in PredestinationMuslims believe in predestination whether goodor bad which Allah has measured and ordained forall creatures according to His previous knowledgeand as deemed suitable by His wisdom Allah theAll-Knowing knows everything that happened inthe past everything that is happening now and allthat will happen in the future Humankind has beengiven free will and the choice of whether or not tofollow what Allah ordained He has been given amind with which he is able to reason and choosewisely- 13 -The Requirements of IslamThe five pillars of Islam make up the frameworkof a Muslims life they are1 The Shahadah or Declaration of FaithTo be a Muslim one must believe in andpronounce words that mean There is no deity worthy

of being worshipped except Allah and Muhammad is Hisslave and messenger3 This declaration testifies thatAllah exists that He is unlike and superior to Hiscreation and that none is worthy of worship butHim It also testifies that He is the Creator andProprietor of all that exists and Disposer of all affairsAllah says in the QuranNo doubt Verily to Allah belongs whosoeveris in the heavens and whosoever is in the earthAnd those that worship and invoke othersbesides Allah in fact follow not theseassociated-gods they follow only a conjectureand they invent only lies [1066]3 The Arabic wording is Laa ilaahah illal-laah Muhammad RasoolAllah- 14 -The Shahadah testifies that Muhammad is amongthe prophets who conveyed Allahs revelation tohumankind Allah saysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad ())except to all of humankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]In fact it is stated in the Quran that Muhammad() is the last of Allahs messengers Allah saysMuhammad is not the father of any manamong you but he is the Messenger of Allahand the last of the Prophets [3340]The Quran also confirms that Muhammadsteachings are infallible and conveyed from Allah

Allah saysNor does he speak of (his own) desire It is onlyan Inspiration that is inspired [533-4]Thus the Quran and Sunnah of the finalprophet are the basis of the religion and they defineevery aspect of the Islamic way of life- 15 -2 The Salah or Formal Obligatory PrayerPrayer was practiced in some form throughouthistory by all prophets and their followers as anindispensable part of Allahs religion Islam the finalmessage to humanity considers prayer essential AMuslim is required to pray five times daily withinspecified intervals as taught by the Prophet ()These prayers are obligatory and form a direct bondbetween the worshipper and his Creator Islam doesnot call upon Muslims to merely perform this act ofworship rather it wants of them to purify theirsouls Allah () says regarding PrayerIndeed the prayer prevents [you] fromlicentiousness and [other] sins [2945]3 Zakah or Obligatory Annual CharityThe word Zakah means purification andgrowth An important principle of Islam is that allthings belong to Allah Muslims are enjoined to earnand spend their wealth in ways that are acceptable toAllah The divinely ordained system of Zakah is the

right of Allah within His dominion It is neither acharity nor a tax but an obligation due fromMuslims who possess wealth in excess of their basicneeds Thus the difference between Zakah and tax isthat a Muslim pays Zakah willfully and on their ownaccord they are the ones who supervise its payment- 16 -Zakah is only due when a person has the minimumrequired amount which varies with the type ofwealthZakah cleanses a Muslim of greed selfishnessbase covetousness and the love of this temporalworld Allah () saysAnd whosoever is saved from his owncovetousness such are they who will be thesuccessful [599]It is the ideal way to meet the needs of the poorersections of society without causing hardship to thewealthy4 Siyam or FastingAllah has enjoined fasting upon the Muslims asHe enjoined it upon previous nations He theExalted saysO you who believe Fasting has beenprescribed for you as it was prescribed for thosebefore you that you may become the pious[2183]Islamic fasting which involves abstinence fromeating drinking sexual intercourse and allprohibited habits such as smoking is observed

throughout the daylight hours of the lunar month of- 17 -Ramadhan When done in obedience to Godscommand fasting teaches believers patience andself-control as well as reminding them of theirresponsibility toward the millions of human beingswho lack provisions or are victims of their unjustdistribution The month of fasting is accompanied byincreased efforts toward good manners andrighteous deeds along with additional worship atnight Fasting is not a retreat from life rather it is asupplement to the Muslims ordinary activities5 Hajj or PilgrimageHajj the annual pilgrimage to Makkah (in SaudiArabia) is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for thosewho are physically and financially able to perform itAllah saysPilgrimage to the House (ie the Kabah) isincumbent upon men for the sake of Allah(upon) everyone who is able to undertake thejourney to it [397]Nevertheless millions of Muslims journey toMakkah each year from every corner of the globeproviding a unique opportunity for people ofvarious nations to meet one another as guests ofAllah Hajj is an expression of pure faith and totalsubmission to His command and the pilgrim- 18 -performs rites of unqualified obedience seekingnothing but the acceptance of their efforts and

forgiveness of their past sins A person who hascompleted the Hajj returns with a fresh outlook onlife a purified soul and blessings from Allah- 19 -Muhammad the Messenger of Allah ()IntroductionIt all began in the year 610 CE4 with a fewbrave individuals differing in tribe status andgender secretly winding through the alleys ofMakkah to meet the man known as Al-Ameen (iethe trustworthy) One by one they went likestealthy shadows in the moonlight hoping not tobe noticed and reported to powerful city leadersThey were prepared to sacrifice it all ndash theircultures families even their own lives ndash for thesake of worshipping One True GodAl-Ameen had called them to cast aside the paganreligion of their forefathers and to embrace puremonotheism The 40-year-old man whose namewas Muhammad () claimed that Allah saw allpeople men and women free and enslaved asequal A message which would in two shortdecades bring peace to the war-torn ArabianPeninsula and beyond a message forbidding tribalfeudalism and corruption by any leader a messagethat came to be known as ldquoIslamrdquo calling fordevotion and submission to God alone4 Common Era or Christian Era in preference to AD (AnnoDomini) meaning lsquothe year of the Lordrsquo- 20 -Who was heMuhammad () was a man of noble descent Hewas a paradigm of excellent manners Allah the

Exalted praised him sayingAnd verily you (O Muhammad ) are on anexalted (standard of) character [684]His enemies attested to his excellent mannersAbu Jahl who was one of the harshest enemies ofIslam said lsquoO Muhammad I do not say that youare a liar I only deny what you brought and whatyou call people torsquoSome of his Companions described his mannerssayinglsquoHe was never rough He never raised his voicein public or used foul language He did notrepay evil with evil rather he forgave andpardoned He did not raise his hand to hit aservant or woman He would not becomeangry if he was wronged nor would he avengehimself He only became angry when peopletransgressed the limits and boundaries ofAllah in that case he avenged The Prophet ()was not given a choice between two mattersexcept that he chose the easier of the two aslong as it was not a sinful act If that act was asinful act he would be the farthest from it- 21 -When he entered his home he was a normalindividual he would clean his clothes milkhis sheep and serve himselfThomas Carlyle the famous Scottish writerattested to this He said in his book lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in HistoryrsquoBut from an early age he had been remarkedas a thoughtful man His companions namedhim Al Amin The Faithful A man of truth andfidelity true in what he did in what he spoke

and thought They noted that he always meantsomething A man rather taciturn in speechsilent when there was nothing to be said butpertinent wise sincere when he did speakalways throwing light on the matter This is theonly sort of speech worth speaking Throughlife we find him to have been regarded as analtogether solid brotherly genuine man Aserious sincere character yet amiable cordialcompanionable jocose even - a good laugh inhim withal there are men whose laugh is asuntrue as anything about them who cannotlaugh A spontaneous passionate yet just truemeaningman Full of wild faculty fire andlight of wild worth all uncultured working outhis life - takes in the depth of the Desert thereThey called him a prophet you say Why hestood there face to face with them here not- 22 -enshrined in any mystery visibly clouting hisown cloak cobbling his own shoes fightingcounseling ordering in the midst of them Theymust have seen what kind of a man he was lethim be called what ye like No emperor with histiaras was obeyed as this man in a cloak of hisown clouting During three and twenty years ofrough actual trial I find something of averitable hero necessary for that of itselfIf we say the physical appearance of a personinfluences their personality as do sociologists theProphet () was the most beautiful of people as hiscompanions who saw him informed us TheProphet () was of a slightly above-average height

Amazingly in gatherings he would appear tallerthan those actually taller than him - until thepeople dispersed In complexion he was whitewith a rosy tinge pale but not excessively so Hishair was jet black and wavy but stopped short ofcurling and was kept between his earlobes andshoulders Sometimes he would part his hair at themiddle Other times he would wear it braided TheProphet () had the physique of a powerful manHe had a broad upper-back and shouldersbetween which was the Seal of Prophet-hood Hehad long muscular limbs large joints and a widegirth His lean stomach never protruded out pastthe profile of his chest His face was radiant ldquoas ifthe sun were following its course across and- 23 -shining from his facerdquo His shoulders were broadhe was of medium height neither too tall nor shortHe was pleasant looking and majestic people werefull of awe when they saw him for the first timeand knew that his face was not one of a liarPropheciesProphet Jesus () foretold the coming ofanother Prophet whose name would belsquoPeriqlytosrsquo or lsquoParacletersquo or lsquoParacalonrsquo and who(that is whose teaching) would last forever lsquoI willpray the Father and He shall give you anotherComforter (Periqlytos) that he may abide withyou foreverrsquo [John 14 16]The word periqlytos means lsquoillustriouslsquorenownedrsquo and lsquopraiseworthyrsquo and this is exactlywhat the name lsquoAhmedrsquo means It is confirmed inthe Qurrsquoan that the Prophet Jesus did prophesize

that a Prophet named lsquoAhmedrsquo would come afterhimAllah the Exalted saysAnd remember when Jesus the son of Marysaid ldquoO Children of Israel I am the Messengerof Allah unto you confirming the Torah whichcame before me and giving glad tidings of a- 24 -Messenger to come after me whose name shallbe Ahmed [616]The Jews sent priests to John the Baptist tofind out who he was lsquoHe confessed ldquoI am not theChristrdquo And they asked him lsquorsquoWhat then Are youElijahrdquo And He said ldquoI am notrdquo lsquorsquoAre you thatProphetrdquo They insisted And he answered ldquoNordquohellipAnd then they said to him ldquoWhy do you baptizethen if you are not the Christ nor Elijah nor thatProphetrdquo (John 120-25)That Prophet is not Jesus but Muhammad ()because John the Baptist continued preaching andbaptizing and foretelling the coming of that Prophetduring the life-time of JesusWhat they said about Muhammad ()Alphonse de Lamartine said lsquoNever has a manset for himself voluntarily or involuntarily a moresublime aim since this aim was superhuman tosubvert superstitions which had been imposedbetween man and his Creator to render God untoman and man unto God to restore the rational andsacred idea of divinity amidst the chaos of thematerial and disfigured gods of idolatry thenexisting Never has a man undertaken a work sofar beyond human power with so feeble means for

- 25 -he (Muhammad) had in the conception as well asin the execution of such a great design no otherinstrument than himself and no other aid except ahandful of men living in a corner of the desertFinally never has a man accomplished such a hugeand lasting revolution in the world because in lessthan two centuries after its appearance Islam infaith and in arms reigned over the whole ofArabia and conquered in Gods name PersiaKhorasan Transoxania Western India SyriaEgypt Abyssinia all the known continent ofNorthern Africa numerous islands of theMediterranean Sea Spain and part of Gaul Ifgreatness of purpose smallness of means andastonishing results are the three criteria of a humangenius who could dare compare any great man inhistory with Muhammadrdquorsquo5George Bernard Shaw said lsquoI have always heldthe religion of Muhammad in high estimationbecause of its wonderful vitality It is the onlyreligion which appears to possess that assimilatingcapability to the changing phases of existencewhich make itself appeal to every age - I haveprophesized about the faith of Muhammad that itwould be acceptable tomorrow as it is beginning to5 Alphonse de LaMartaine in Histoire de la Turquie Paris1854- 26 -be acceptable to the Europe of today Medievalecclesiastics either through ignorance or bigotrypainted Mohammedanism in the darkest colors

They were in fact trained to hate both the manMuhammad and his religion To them Muhammadwas an anti-Christ I have studied him thewonderful man and in my opinion far from beingan anti-Christ he must be called the Savior ofhumanity - rsquo6The German Poet Wolfgang Goumlthe7 said lsquoIlooked into history for a human paradigm andfound it to be in Muhammad ()rsquo6 The Genuine Islam Vol 1 No 8 19367 A German writer and scientist Master of poetry dramaand the novel he also conducted scientific research invarious fields notably botany and held severalgovernmental positions- 27 -QUESTIONS AND ANSWERSCreedal Issues1) Who is Allah Do Muslims worship a differentGodSome people believe that Muslims worship a Godthat is different from the one worshipped byChristians and Jews This might be due to the factthat Muslims often refer to God as Allah Thisconcept is false since Allah is simply the Arabicword for the One true God Who created theuniverse and all humanity Let there be no doubt -Muslims worship the God of Noah AbrahamMoses David and Jesus () However it is certainlytrue that Jews Christians and Muslims all havedifferent concepts of Almighty God For exampleMuslims - like Jews - reject the Christian beliefs ofthe Trinity and the Divine Incarnation This

however does not mean that each of these threereligions worships a different God - because as wehave already said there is only One TrueGod Judaism Christianity and Islam all claim to beldquoAbrahamic Faithsrdquo and all of them are alsoclassified as ldquomonotheisticrdquo However Islam teachesthat other religions have in one way or anotherdistorted and nullified a pure and proper belief inAlmighty God by neglecting His true teachings and- 28 -mixing them with man-made ideas Islam calls uponpeople to return to the one true God and to worshipand obey Him alone Islam teaches that God shouldbe approached without intermediaries That isbecause the merciful all-knowing God is completelyin control of everything that exists and that He canbestow His grace and mercy on His creatures as Hepleases therefore no intercession atonement orincarnation is necessaryArabic speaking people of all religions refer toGod as Allah For example if you pick up anArabic translation of the Christian Bible you will seethe word Allah where God is used in EnglishTherefore Allah is not the god of only the Muslimsbut the same God worshipped by all monotheisticfaiths This idea that Allah is different from Godis illogical since it is tantamount to saying that theFrench worship a different god because they use

the word Dieu that Spaniards worship a differentgod because they say Dios or that the Hebrewsworshipped a different god because they calledHim YahwehThe Quran which is the divine scripture ofMuslims was revealed in the Arabic language soMuslims use the word Allah for God even whenthey are speaking other languages A more literaltranslation of Allah into English might be the oneand-only God or the one true God- 29 -It should be clearly understood that what Islam isprimarily concerned with is correcting humankindsconcept of Almighty God What people areultimately going to be held accountable for at the endof Day of Judgment is not whether they preferred theword Allah or the word God but what theirconcept of Him is The true concept of God isclarified only within the message revealed by HimThe last message sent by God or Allah is the Quran2) The Quran uses the word lsquoWersquo when quotingAllah Does that mean that Muslims believe inmore than one GodIslam adheres to uncompromising monotheism Itteaches that God is One and indivisible In theQuran God often refers to Himself as We But it

does not mean that there is more than one God Thereference of God to Himself as We in manyQuranic verses is necessarily understood in theArabic language to denote power and grandeur asopposed to the more intimate singular form I usedin specific instancesIn some languages there are two types of pluralform One is related to quantity and used to refer totwo or more persons places or things The other kindof plural is one of majesty power and distinction Forexample in proper English the Queen of Englandrefers to herself as lsquowersquo This is known as the lsquoroyal- 30 -pluralrsquo Rajeev Gandhi the ex-Prime Minister ofIndia used to say in Hindi Hum dekhna chahte hainWe want to see lsquoHumrsquo means lsquowersquo which is again aroyal plural in Hindi language Similarly when Godrefers to Himself in the Quran He sometimes usesthe Arabic word nahnu meaning lsquoWersquo It does notindicate a plurality of number but the plurality ofpower and majestyThe oneness of God is stressed throughout theQuran A clear example is in this short chapterSay He is Allah [who is] One Allah is He onWhom all depend He neither begets nor isborn nor is there to Him any equivalent [1121-4]3) The Quran says that Allah is merciful and that

He gives severe punishment So is He forgiving oris He vengefulThe Quran mentions many times that God is theMost Merciful In fact all except one of the 114chapters of the Quran begin with Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem which means I begin with thename of God the Entirely Merciful and theEspecially Merciful These two descriptions of Godare sometimes translated as The Compassionate theMerciful however in Arabic grammar both namesare an intensive form of the word mercifulRahmaan means merciful to all creation and justice is- 31 -part of this mercy Raheem means merciful especiallyto the believers and forgiveness is part of this mercyA complimentary and comprehensive meaning isintended by the use of both of them together Inaddition Allah speaks of His forgiveness throughoutthe Quran In fact Gods mercy and forgivenesshave been mentioned together more than 70 times inthe Quran Allah repeatedly reminds us sayingAnd Allah is Forgiving and MercifulBut He also gives severe punishment to thosewho deserve it Allah told Prophet Muhammad ()Inform My slaves that it is I Who am the

Forgiving the Merciful and that it is Mypunishment which is the [most] painfulpunishment [1549-50]Allah is just and His justice necessitates that Hereward those who obey and serve Him and punishthose who disobey and rebel against Him If Allahdid not punish the sinful wicked and evil peoplewho deserve to be punished it would not be justiceWhen punishment for wrongdoing is certain itserves to deter potential offenders In contrast ifAllah forgave everyone and punished no one therewould be no reason for legislation ethics or evenmorality Life on earth would be chaotic and nothing- 32 -short of anarchy True justice with its true rewardsand just penalties can only be found with Allah andthat is what He has promised in the QuranWe shall place the scales of justice for the Dayof Judgment so no soul will be dealt withunjustly at all And if there is [even] the weightof a mustard seed We will bring it forth Andsufficient are We to take account [2147]Allah forgives all those who repent and correctthemselves at any stage in their lives and He hasinvited all people to His abundant forgiveness andmercySay lsquoO My slaves who have transgressedagainst their souls Despair not of the mercy ofAllah Indeed Allah forgives all sins Indeed itis He who is the Forgiving the Merciful And

return [in repentance] to your Lord and submitto Him before the punishment comes upon youthen you will not be helped And follow thebest of what was revealed to you from your Lordbefore the punishment comes upon yousuddenly while you do not perceive [3953-5]- 33 -4) Some believe that Muslims worshipMuhammad Is this trueMuslims do not worship Muhammad () in anyway They believe that he was the last messenger sentby Allah and like all His other prophets andmessengers he was a human being However somepeople mistakenly assume that Muslims worshipMuhammad and this is one of the reasons thatMuslims were erroneously called MohammedansMuhammad like Jesus never claimed divinestatus He called people to worship Almighty Allahalone and he continually emphasized his humanityIn order to prevent his deification ProphetMuhammad () always said to refer to him asAllahs slave and messenger He () saidlsquoDo not adulate me as the Christians adulatedJesus son of Mary I am Allahs slave andmessengerrsquo (Bukhari)Muhammad was chosen to be Allahs finalmessenger and to communicate His message to usnot only in words but also as a living example of itspractical application Muslims love and respect him

because of his impeccable and upright moralcharacter and because he conveyed the truth fromAllah - which is the pure monotheism of Islam- 34 -Muslims strive to follow the great example ofProphet Muhammad () but do not worship him inany way Islam teaches Muslims to respect all ofAllahs prophets and messengers Howeverrespecting and loving them does not meanworshipping them Muslims know that all worshipand prayer must be directed to Allah aloneIn fact the worship of Muhammad - or anyoneelse ndash along with or instead of Almighty Allah isconsidered an unpardonable sin in Islam Even if aperson claims to be Muslim but worships or prays toanything other than God it invalidates ones claim toIslam The Declaration of Faith makes it clear thatMuslims must worship Allah alone5) Is Islam fatalisticMost Muslims find it rather odd that theirreligion which strikes a remarkable balance betweenfaith and deeds are sometimes accused of beingfatalistic Perhaps this misconception came aboutbecause Muslims are known to say All praise is due toAllah whenever anything good or bad happens Thisis because Muslims know that everything comesfrom God the Creator of the universe and occurs by

His will Thus a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always- 35 -for the best whether one recognizes it or not so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changedThis does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life On thecontrary Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation To be more preciseaction is a required part of ones faith If humanbeings did not have the ability to act it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things Far from being fatalistic Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to GodIslam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate Someeven say that if Allah had willed they would nothave sinned or committed crimes All of thesearguments are completely erroneous because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibited

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

husband 70Why does Islam impose such harsh punishments forsex outside marriage 71Under Islamic law why is a womans share of inheritedwealth half that of a mans 7311 Islam and Terrorism 77What is Jihad 77Is Islam a militant religion 80Are Muslims terrorists 83How can Islam be called a religion of peace when ldquoitwas spread by the swordrdquo 85 The Quran says that Muslims should kill the nonbelieverswherever they find them Does this mean thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutality 9012 Universality of the Message of Islam 93Is it true that Islam is a religion only for Arabs 93All religions basically teach their followers to do gooddeeds so why should a person follow Islam 94A Final Word 97- 5 -Discover IslamEdited by al-Jumuah StaffForewordThere is hardly any place on earth today whereIslam is totally unknown More and more peoplehave become curious enough to find out somethingabout this much publicized religion more often than

not they have been pleasantly surprisedIslam is the religion and way of life of about onefifth of the worlds population Muslims are ofdiverse nationalities cultures and races but theirreligion teaches that all humanity is essentially equalIslam is generally misunderstood and misrepresentedin contemporary Western societies therefore itis hoped that this booklet will help shed light onIslam and dispel many of the prevailingmisconceptionsWith this objective in mind al-Jumuah Magazinepresents a brief overview of Islam followed byanswers to some of the most commonly askedquestions by non-Muslims- 6 -Islamic BeliefsThe Islamic creed did not begin with the prophethoodof Muhammad ()1 nor was it invented byhim It is essentially the same message contained inprevious divine scriptures and taught by all prophetsof Allah Islamic beliefs are eternal truths that neitherchange nor develop they provide truths about Allahand His relationship with the visible and invisibleaspects of the universe about the reality of this lifemans role therein and what will become of himafterwards The requirements or pillars of the

Islamic faith are belief in Allah in the angels createdby Him in His scriptures in the prophets throughwhom His revelation was conveyed to humanity inthe eternal life after death and in Allahs perfectjudgment and complete authority over humandestinyBelief in AllahMonotheism is the essence of Islam and itemphasizes the Oneness of Allah Muslims believe inOne eternal and unique God He is the Creator of allthat exists yet He cannot be compared to anything ofHis creation Muslims acknowledge that Allah alone1 This symbol means may Allah exalt his mention and renderhim safe from all evil- 7 -is divine that He alone is the Creator and Sustainerof creation He is all-knowing and all-powerfulcompletely just and mercifulAllah is not part of His creation nor is any of it apart of Him The significance of exclusive divinity isthat no one and nothing in existence is worthy to beworshipped except Allah the Creator and Sustainerof all things In Islam everything is built upon theOneness of Allah No act of worship has any

meaning if the concept of monotheism is in any waycompromisedThe proper name of God is Allah He is thesame God known to Christians Jews and to peopleof other monotheistic faiths Allah sent a series ofmessages to mankind through appointed prophetsand messengers Quite a few of them are familiar topeople of Judeo-Christian background such asAdam Noah Abraham Moses Jesus and manyothers ()2Belief in the AngelsMuslims believe that Angels exist No one knowstheir exact number except Him They obey Himfulfill His commands and guard over the universeand the creatures that dwell within it They carry out2 This symbol means may Allah redner him safe from all eviland is said after a Prophet or Messengers name- 8 -the orders of Allah from administrationobservation guarding and protecting the universe aswell as its creatures all according to Allahs Will andOrder Allah has revealed to us the names of some ofthe angels for example Gabriel who was given thetask of revelation Michael who has been assignedthe task of directing rain and vegetation There isalso the Angel of Death who has been given the task

of collecting the souls at their appointed timesBelief in the ScripturesMuslims also believe in the original scripturesrevealed by Allah such as the Scriptures of Abrahamand Moses the Torah the Psalms of David and theGospel of Jesus The final revelation to humanity isthe Quran which was revealed to ProphetMuhammad () The Quran remains preserved andunchanged since the time of revelation in its originalArabic text There is only one version of the QuranIt is recited and memorized by Muslims throughoutthe world It contains the final message to humanityand legislation which both encompasses all spheresof human life and is also suited to all peoples and alltimes Moreover it contains numerous verses thatspeak of the universe its components andphenomena - the earth sun moon stars mountainswind rivers and seas plants animals as well as thesuccessive stages of human embryonic development- 9 -One of the miracles of the Quran and evidence of itsdivine origins is that nothing within it contradictsany established scientific fact

Belief in the MessengersA Muslim is required to believe that Allah chosethe finest amongst humanity to be Messengerswhom He sent to His creation with specificlegislations to worship and obey Him and toestablish His religion and His Oneness Allah theAlmighty saysAnd We did not send any Messenger beforeyou [O Muhammad ()] but We inspired him[saying] none has the right to be worshippedbut I (Allah) so worship Me (Alone and noneelse) [2125]The last of the divinely appointed messengerswas Prophet Muhammad () To him was conveyedthe final and complete revelation from Allah All theprophets preached the same basic message theworship of Allah alone In essence they all preachedIslam which means willing peaceful submission toAllah the one true God Creator of the universeThe final prophet was sent by the Creator as ahuman model to be followed and obeyed ProphetMuhammad () exemplified the principles laid- 10 -down in the Quran and true Muslims strive tofollow his noble example His biography has beenrecorded in minute detail and is easily accessible forstudy There is a complete authentically narrateddocumentation of his sayings and practices which isthe second source of Islamic legislation It iscomplementary to the Quran and supplements it

with additional details and clarification of meaningsThis record contains the prophetic traditions referredto as the Sunnah Scholars have carefully andpainstakingly scrutinized the reliability of thetransmitters of these traditions and only thosewhose narrators are found to be completely reliableand sound are acceptedBelief in the Last DayMuslims believe that the life of this world willcome to an end Allah saysWhatsoever is on it (ie the earth) will perish[5526]The Day of Resurrection is the day when eachindividual will stand before Allah and be questionedabout their deeds The compensation for evil in theHereafter is exact justice while the compensation forgood is much greater - comprehensive multiplerewards and complete satisfaction and happiness- 11 -People will be judged according to their degree ofrighteousness and nothing else Allah saysWhoever brings a good deed shall have tentimes the like thereof to his (or her) credit andwhoever brings an evil deed shall have only therecompense of the like thereof [6160]A person is rewarded for merely intending to dogood even if they do not follow up that intentionwith action Prophet Muhammad () mentioned that

Allah saidldquoWhoever intends to perform a good deed butdoes not do it Allah records it for him as onegood deed If one intends to do a good deed anddoes it Allah records for him the like thereoften times up to seven hundred times to manytimes If one intends to do an evil deed butdoes not do it Allah records it for him as onegood deed If one intends to do an evil deed anddoes it Allah records it only as one evil deedrdquo[Bukhari]- 12 -Belief in PredestinationMuslims believe in predestination whether goodor bad which Allah has measured and ordained forall creatures according to His previous knowledgeand as deemed suitable by His wisdom Allah theAll-Knowing knows everything that happened inthe past everything that is happening now and allthat will happen in the future Humankind has beengiven free will and the choice of whether or not tofollow what Allah ordained He has been given amind with which he is able to reason and choosewisely- 13 -The Requirements of IslamThe five pillars of Islam make up the frameworkof a Muslims life they are1 The Shahadah or Declaration of FaithTo be a Muslim one must believe in andpronounce words that mean There is no deity worthy

of being worshipped except Allah and Muhammad is Hisslave and messenger3 This declaration testifies thatAllah exists that He is unlike and superior to Hiscreation and that none is worthy of worship butHim It also testifies that He is the Creator andProprietor of all that exists and Disposer of all affairsAllah says in the QuranNo doubt Verily to Allah belongs whosoeveris in the heavens and whosoever is in the earthAnd those that worship and invoke othersbesides Allah in fact follow not theseassociated-gods they follow only a conjectureand they invent only lies [1066]3 The Arabic wording is Laa ilaahah illal-laah Muhammad RasoolAllah- 14 -The Shahadah testifies that Muhammad is amongthe prophets who conveyed Allahs revelation tohumankind Allah saysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad ())except to all of humankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]In fact it is stated in the Quran that Muhammad() is the last of Allahs messengers Allah saysMuhammad is not the father of any manamong you but he is the Messenger of Allahand the last of the Prophets [3340]The Quran also confirms that Muhammadsteachings are infallible and conveyed from Allah

Allah saysNor does he speak of (his own) desire It is onlyan Inspiration that is inspired [533-4]Thus the Quran and Sunnah of the finalprophet are the basis of the religion and they defineevery aspect of the Islamic way of life- 15 -2 The Salah or Formal Obligatory PrayerPrayer was practiced in some form throughouthistory by all prophets and their followers as anindispensable part of Allahs religion Islam the finalmessage to humanity considers prayer essential AMuslim is required to pray five times daily withinspecified intervals as taught by the Prophet ()These prayers are obligatory and form a direct bondbetween the worshipper and his Creator Islam doesnot call upon Muslims to merely perform this act ofworship rather it wants of them to purify theirsouls Allah () says regarding PrayerIndeed the prayer prevents [you] fromlicentiousness and [other] sins [2945]3 Zakah or Obligatory Annual CharityThe word Zakah means purification andgrowth An important principle of Islam is that allthings belong to Allah Muslims are enjoined to earnand spend their wealth in ways that are acceptable toAllah The divinely ordained system of Zakah is the

right of Allah within His dominion It is neither acharity nor a tax but an obligation due fromMuslims who possess wealth in excess of their basicneeds Thus the difference between Zakah and tax isthat a Muslim pays Zakah willfully and on their ownaccord they are the ones who supervise its payment- 16 -Zakah is only due when a person has the minimumrequired amount which varies with the type ofwealthZakah cleanses a Muslim of greed selfishnessbase covetousness and the love of this temporalworld Allah () saysAnd whosoever is saved from his owncovetousness such are they who will be thesuccessful [599]It is the ideal way to meet the needs of the poorersections of society without causing hardship to thewealthy4 Siyam or FastingAllah has enjoined fasting upon the Muslims asHe enjoined it upon previous nations He theExalted saysO you who believe Fasting has beenprescribed for you as it was prescribed for thosebefore you that you may become the pious[2183]Islamic fasting which involves abstinence fromeating drinking sexual intercourse and allprohibited habits such as smoking is observed

throughout the daylight hours of the lunar month of- 17 -Ramadhan When done in obedience to Godscommand fasting teaches believers patience andself-control as well as reminding them of theirresponsibility toward the millions of human beingswho lack provisions or are victims of their unjustdistribution The month of fasting is accompanied byincreased efforts toward good manners andrighteous deeds along with additional worship atnight Fasting is not a retreat from life rather it is asupplement to the Muslims ordinary activities5 Hajj or PilgrimageHajj the annual pilgrimage to Makkah (in SaudiArabia) is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for thosewho are physically and financially able to perform itAllah saysPilgrimage to the House (ie the Kabah) isincumbent upon men for the sake of Allah(upon) everyone who is able to undertake thejourney to it [397]Nevertheless millions of Muslims journey toMakkah each year from every corner of the globeproviding a unique opportunity for people ofvarious nations to meet one another as guests ofAllah Hajj is an expression of pure faith and totalsubmission to His command and the pilgrim- 18 -performs rites of unqualified obedience seekingnothing but the acceptance of their efforts and

forgiveness of their past sins A person who hascompleted the Hajj returns with a fresh outlook onlife a purified soul and blessings from Allah- 19 -Muhammad the Messenger of Allah ()IntroductionIt all began in the year 610 CE4 with a fewbrave individuals differing in tribe status andgender secretly winding through the alleys ofMakkah to meet the man known as Al-Ameen (iethe trustworthy) One by one they went likestealthy shadows in the moonlight hoping not tobe noticed and reported to powerful city leadersThey were prepared to sacrifice it all ndash theircultures families even their own lives ndash for thesake of worshipping One True GodAl-Ameen had called them to cast aside the paganreligion of their forefathers and to embrace puremonotheism The 40-year-old man whose namewas Muhammad () claimed that Allah saw allpeople men and women free and enslaved asequal A message which would in two shortdecades bring peace to the war-torn ArabianPeninsula and beyond a message forbidding tribalfeudalism and corruption by any leader a messagethat came to be known as ldquoIslamrdquo calling fordevotion and submission to God alone4 Common Era or Christian Era in preference to AD (AnnoDomini) meaning lsquothe year of the Lordrsquo- 20 -Who was heMuhammad () was a man of noble descent Hewas a paradigm of excellent manners Allah the

Exalted praised him sayingAnd verily you (O Muhammad ) are on anexalted (standard of) character [684]His enemies attested to his excellent mannersAbu Jahl who was one of the harshest enemies ofIslam said lsquoO Muhammad I do not say that youare a liar I only deny what you brought and whatyou call people torsquoSome of his Companions described his mannerssayinglsquoHe was never rough He never raised his voicein public or used foul language He did notrepay evil with evil rather he forgave andpardoned He did not raise his hand to hit aservant or woman He would not becomeangry if he was wronged nor would he avengehimself He only became angry when peopletransgressed the limits and boundaries ofAllah in that case he avenged The Prophet ()was not given a choice between two mattersexcept that he chose the easier of the two aslong as it was not a sinful act If that act was asinful act he would be the farthest from it- 21 -When he entered his home he was a normalindividual he would clean his clothes milkhis sheep and serve himselfThomas Carlyle the famous Scottish writerattested to this He said in his book lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in HistoryrsquoBut from an early age he had been remarkedas a thoughtful man His companions namedhim Al Amin The Faithful A man of truth andfidelity true in what he did in what he spoke

and thought They noted that he always meantsomething A man rather taciturn in speechsilent when there was nothing to be said butpertinent wise sincere when he did speakalways throwing light on the matter This is theonly sort of speech worth speaking Throughlife we find him to have been regarded as analtogether solid brotherly genuine man Aserious sincere character yet amiable cordialcompanionable jocose even - a good laugh inhim withal there are men whose laugh is asuntrue as anything about them who cannotlaugh A spontaneous passionate yet just truemeaningman Full of wild faculty fire andlight of wild worth all uncultured working outhis life - takes in the depth of the Desert thereThey called him a prophet you say Why hestood there face to face with them here not- 22 -enshrined in any mystery visibly clouting hisown cloak cobbling his own shoes fightingcounseling ordering in the midst of them Theymust have seen what kind of a man he was lethim be called what ye like No emperor with histiaras was obeyed as this man in a cloak of hisown clouting During three and twenty years ofrough actual trial I find something of averitable hero necessary for that of itselfIf we say the physical appearance of a personinfluences their personality as do sociologists theProphet () was the most beautiful of people as hiscompanions who saw him informed us TheProphet () was of a slightly above-average height

Amazingly in gatherings he would appear tallerthan those actually taller than him - until thepeople dispersed In complexion he was whitewith a rosy tinge pale but not excessively so Hishair was jet black and wavy but stopped short ofcurling and was kept between his earlobes andshoulders Sometimes he would part his hair at themiddle Other times he would wear it braided TheProphet () had the physique of a powerful manHe had a broad upper-back and shouldersbetween which was the Seal of Prophet-hood Hehad long muscular limbs large joints and a widegirth His lean stomach never protruded out pastthe profile of his chest His face was radiant ldquoas ifthe sun were following its course across and- 23 -shining from his facerdquo His shoulders were broadhe was of medium height neither too tall nor shortHe was pleasant looking and majestic people werefull of awe when they saw him for the first timeand knew that his face was not one of a liarPropheciesProphet Jesus () foretold the coming ofanother Prophet whose name would belsquoPeriqlytosrsquo or lsquoParacletersquo or lsquoParacalonrsquo and who(that is whose teaching) would last forever lsquoI willpray the Father and He shall give you anotherComforter (Periqlytos) that he may abide withyou foreverrsquo [John 14 16]The word periqlytos means lsquoillustriouslsquorenownedrsquo and lsquopraiseworthyrsquo and this is exactlywhat the name lsquoAhmedrsquo means It is confirmed inthe Qurrsquoan that the Prophet Jesus did prophesize

that a Prophet named lsquoAhmedrsquo would come afterhimAllah the Exalted saysAnd remember when Jesus the son of Marysaid ldquoO Children of Israel I am the Messengerof Allah unto you confirming the Torah whichcame before me and giving glad tidings of a- 24 -Messenger to come after me whose name shallbe Ahmed [616]The Jews sent priests to John the Baptist tofind out who he was lsquoHe confessed ldquoI am not theChristrdquo And they asked him lsquorsquoWhat then Are youElijahrdquo And He said ldquoI am notrdquo lsquorsquoAre you thatProphetrdquo They insisted And he answered ldquoNordquohellipAnd then they said to him ldquoWhy do you baptizethen if you are not the Christ nor Elijah nor thatProphetrdquo (John 120-25)That Prophet is not Jesus but Muhammad ()because John the Baptist continued preaching andbaptizing and foretelling the coming of that Prophetduring the life-time of JesusWhat they said about Muhammad ()Alphonse de Lamartine said lsquoNever has a manset for himself voluntarily or involuntarily a moresublime aim since this aim was superhuman tosubvert superstitions which had been imposedbetween man and his Creator to render God untoman and man unto God to restore the rational andsacred idea of divinity amidst the chaos of thematerial and disfigured gods of idolatry thenexisting Never has a man undertaken a work sofar beyond human power with so feeble means for

- 25 -he (Muhammad) had in the conception as well asin the execution of such a great design no otherinstrument than himself and no other aid except ahandful of men living in a corner of the desertFinally never has a man accomplished such a hugeand lasting revolution in the world because in lessthan two centuries after its appearance Islam infaith and in arms reigned over the whole ofArabia and conquered in Gods name PersiaKhorasan Transoxania Western India SyriaEgypt Abyssinia all the known continent ofNorthern Africa numerous islands of theMediterranean Sea Spain and part of Gaul Ifgreatness of purpose smallness of means andastonishing results are the three criteria of a humangenius who could dare compare any great man inhistory with Muhammadrdquorsquo5George Bernard Shaw said lsquoI have always heldthe religion of Muhammad in high estimationbecause of its wonderful vitality It is the onlyreligion which appears to possess that assimilatingcapability to the changing phases of existencewhich make itself appeal to every age - I haveprophesized about the faith of Muhammad that itwould be acceptable tomorrow as it is beginning to5 Alphonse de LaMartaine in Histoire de la Turquie Paris1854- 26 -be acceptable to the Europe of today Medievalecclesiastics either through ignorance or bigotrypainted Mohammedanism in the darkest colors

They were in fact trained to hate both the manMuhammad and his religion To them Muhammadwas an anti-Christ I have studied him thewonderful man and in my opinion far from beingan anti-Christ he must be called the Savior ofhumanity - rsquo6The German Poet Wolfgang Goumlthe7 said lsquoIlooked into history for a human paradigm andfound it to be in Muhammad ()rsquo6 The Genuine Islam Vol 1 No 8 19367 A German writer and scientist Master of poetry dramaand the novel he also conducted scientific research invarious fields notably botany and held severalgovernmental positions- 27 -QUESTIONS AND ANSWERSCreedal Issues1) Who is Allah Do Muslims worship a differentGodSome people believe that Muslims worship a Godthat is different from the one worshipped byChristians and Jews This might be due to the factthat Muslims often refer to God as Allah Thisconcept is false since Allah is simply the Arabicword for the One true God Who created theuniverse and all humanity Let there be no doubt -Muslims worship the God of Noah AbrahamMoses David and Jesus () However it is certainlytrue that Jews Christians and Muslims all havedifferent concepts of Almighty God For exampleMuslims - like Jews - reject the Christian beliefs ofthe Trinity and the Divine Incarnation This

however does not mean that each of these threereligions worships a different God - because as wehave already said there is only One TrueGod Judaism Christianity and Islam all claim to beldquoAbrahamic Faithsrdquo and all of them are alsoclassified as ldquomonotheisticrdquo However Islam teachesthat other religions have in one way or anotherdistorted and nullified a pure and proper belief inAlmighty God by neglecting His true teachings and- 28 -mixing them with man-made ideas Islam calls uponpeople to return to the one true God and to worshipand obey Him alone Islam teaches that God shouldbe approached without intermediaries That isbecause the merciful all-knowing God is completelyin control of everything that exists and that He canbestow His grace and mercy on His creatures as Hepleases therefore no intercession atonement orincarnation is necessaryArabic speaking people of all religions refer toGod as Allah For example if you pick up anArabic translation of the Christian Bible you will seethe word Allah where God is used in EnglishTherefore Allah is not the god of only the Muslimsbut the same God worshipped by all monotheisticfaiths This idea that Allah is different from Godis illogical since it is tantamount to saying that theFrench worship a different god because they use

the word Dieu that Spaniards worship a differentgod because they say Dios or that the Hebrewsworshipped a different god because they calledHim YahwehThe Quran which is the divine scripture ofMuslims was revealed in the Arabic language soMuslims use the word Allah for God even whenthey are speaking other languages A more literaltranslation of Allah into English might be the oneand-only God or the one true God- 29 -It should be clearly understood that what Islam isprimarily concerned with is correcting humankindsconcept of Almighty God What people areultimately going to be held accountable for at the endof Day of Judgment is not whether they preferred theword Allah or the word God but what theirconcept of Him is The true concept of God isclarified only within the message revealed by HimThe last message sent by God or Allah is the Quran2) The Quran uses the word lsquoWersquo when quotingAllah Does that mean that Muslims believe inmore than one GodIslam adheres to uncompromising monotheism Itteaches that God is One and indivisible In theQuran God often refers to Himself as We But it

does not mean that there is more than one God Thereference of God to Himself as We in manyQuranic verses is necessarily understood in theArabic language to denote power and grandeur asopposed to the more intimate singular form I usedin specific instancesIn some languages there are two types of pluralform One is related to quantity and used to refer totwo or more persons places or things The other kindof plural is one of majesty power and distinction Forexample in proper English the Queen of Englandrefers to herself as lsquowersquo This is known as the lsquoroyal- 30 -pluralrsquo Rajeev Gandhi the ex-Prime Minister ofIndia used to say in Hindi Hum dekhna chahte hainWe want to see lsquoHumrsquo means lsquowersquo which is again aroyal plural in Hindi language Similarly when Godrefers to Himself in the Quran He sometimes usesthe Arabic word nahnu meaning lsquoWersquo It does notindicate a plurality of number but the plurality ofpower and majestyThe oneness of God is stressed throughout theQuran A clear example is in this short chapterSay He is Allah [who is] One Allah is He onWhom all depend He neither begets nor isborn nor is there to Him any equivalent [1121-4]3) The Quran says that Allah is merciful and that

He gives severe punishment So is He forgiving oris He vengefulThe Quran mentions many times that God is theMost Merciful In fact all except one of the 114chapters of the Quran begin with Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem which means I begin with thename of God the Entirely Merciful and theEspecially Merciful These two descriptions of Godare sometimes translated as The Compassionate theMerciful however in Arabic grammar both namesare an intensive form of the word mercifulRahmaan means merciful to all creation and justice is- 31 -part of this mercy Raheem means merciful especiallyto the believers and forgiveness is part of this mercyA complimentary and comprehensive meaning isintended by the use of both of them together Inaddition Allah speaks of His forgiveness throughoutthe Quran In fact Gods mercy and forgivenesshave been mentioned together more than 70 times inthe Quran Allah repeatedly reminds us sayingAnd Allah is Forgiving and MercifulBut He also gives severe punishment to thosewho deserve it Allah told Prophet Muhammad ()Inform My slaves that it is I Who am the

Forgiving the Merciful and that it is Mypunishment which is the [most] painfulpunishment [1549-50]Allah is just and His justice necessitates that Hereward those who obey and serve Him and punishthose who disobey and rebel against Him If Allahdid not punish the sinful wicked and evil peoplewho deserve to be punished it would not be justiceWhen punishment for wrongdoing is certain itserves to deter potential offenders In contrast ifAllah forgave everyone and punished no one therewould be no reason for legislation ethics or evenmorality Life on earth would be chaotic and nothing- 32 -short of anarchy True justice with its true rewardsand just penalties can only be found with Allah andthat is what He has promised in the QuranWe shall place the scales of justice for the Dayof Judgment so no soul will be dealt withunjustly at all And if there is [even] the weightof a mustard seed We will bring it forth Andsufficient are We to take account [2147]Allah forgives all those who repent and correctthemselves at any stage in their lives and He hasinvited all people to His abundant forgiveness andmercySay lsquoO My slaves who have transgressedagainst their souls Despair not of the mercy ofAllah Indeed Allah forgives all sins Indeed itis He who is the Forgiving the Merciful And

return [in repentance] to your Lord and submitto Him before the punishment comes upon youthen you will not be helped And follow thebest of what was revealed to you from your Lordbefore the punishment comes upon yousuddenly while you do not perceive [3953-5]- 33 -4) Some believe that Muslims worshipMuhammad Is this trueMuslims do not worship Muhammad () in anyway They believe that he was the last messenger sentby Allah and like all His other prophets andmessengers he was a human being However somepeople mistakenly assume that Muslims worshipMuhammad and this is one of the reasons thatMuslims were erroneously called MohammedansMuhammad like Jesus never claimed divinestatus He called people to worship Almighty Allahalone and he continually emphasized his humanityIn order to prevent his deification ProphetMuhammad () always said to refer to him asAllahs slave and messenger He () saidlsquoDo not adulate me as the Christians adulatedJesus son of Mary I am Allahs slave andmessengerrsquo (Bukhari)Muhammad was chosen to be Allahs finalmessenger and to communicate His message to usnot only in words but also as a living example of itspractical application Muslims love and respect him

because of his impeccable and upright moralcharacter and because he conveyed the truth fromAllah - which is the pure monotheism of Islam- 34 -Muslims strive to follow the great example ofProphet Muhammad () but do not worship him inany way Islam teaches Muslims to respect all ofAllahs prophets and messengers Howeverrespecting and loving them does not meanworshipping them Muslims know that all worshipand prayer must be directed to Allah aloneIn fact the worship of Muhammad - or anyoneelse ndash along with or instead of Almighty Allah isconsidered an unpardonable sin in Islam Even if aperson claims to be Muslim but worships or prays toanything other than God it invalidates ones claim toIslam The Declaration of Faith makes it clear thatMuslims must worship Allah alone5) Is Islam fatalisticMost Muslims find it rather odd that theirreligion which strikes a remarkable balance betweenfaith and deeds are sometimes accused of beingfatalistic Perhaps this misconception came aboutbecause Muslims are known to say All praise is due toAllah whenever anything good or bad happens Thisis because Muslims know that everything comesfrom God the Creator of the universe and occurs by

His will Thus a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always- 35 -for the best whether one recognizes it or not so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changedThis does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life On thecontrary Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation To be more preciseaction is a required part of ones faith If humanbeings did not have the ability to act it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things Far from being fatalistic Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to GodIslam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate Someeven say that if Allah had willed they would nothave sinned or committed crimes All of thesearguments are completely erroneous because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibited

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

not they have been pleasantly surprisedIslam is the religion and way of life of about onefifth of the worlds population Muslims are ofdiverse nationalities cultures and races but theirreligion teaches that all humanity is essentially equalIslam is generally misunderstood and misrepresentedin contemporary Western societies therefore itis hoped that this booklet will help shed light onIslam and dispel many of the prevailingmisconceptionsWith this objective in mind al-Jumuah Magazinepresents a brief overview of Islam followed byanswers to some of the most commonly askedquestions by non-Muslims- 6 -Islamic BeliefsThe Islamic creed did not begin with the prophethoodof Muhammad ()1 nor was it invented byhim It is essentially the same message contained inprevious divine scriptures and taught by all prophetsof Allah Islamic beliefs are eternal truths that neitherchange nor develop they provide truths about Allahand His relationship with the visible and invisibleaspects of the universe about the reality of this lifemans role therein and what will become of himafterwards The requirements or pillars of the

Islamic faith are belief in Allah in the angels createdby Him in His scriptures in the prophets throughwhom His revelation was conveyed to humanity inthe eternal life after death and in Allahs perfectjudgment and complete authority over humandestinyBelief in AllahMonotheism is the essence of Islam and itemphasizes the Oneness of Allah Muslims believe inOne eternal and unique God He is the Creator of allthat exists yet He cannot be compared to anything ofHis creation Muslims acknowledge that Allah alone1 This symbol means may Allah exalt his mention and renderhim safe from all evil- 7 -is divine that He alone is the Creator and Sustainerof creation He is all-knowing and all-powerfulcompletely just and mercifulAllah is not part of His creation nor is any of it apart of Him The significance of exclusive divinity isthat no one and nothing in existence is worthy to beworshipped except Allah the Creator and Sustainerof all things In Islam everything is built upon theOneness of Allah No act of worship has any

meaning if the concept of monotheism is in any waycompromisedThe proper name of God is Allah He is thesame God known to Christians Jews and to peopleof other monotheistic faiths Allah sent a series ofmessages to mankind through appointed prophetsand messengers Quite a few of them are familiar topeople of Judeo-Christian background such asAdam Noah Abraham Moses Jesus and manyothers ()2Belief in the AngelsMuslims believe that Angels exist No one knowstheir exact number except Him They obey Himfulfill His commands and guard over the universeand the creatures that dwell within it They carry out2 This symbol means may Allah redner him safe from all eviland is said after a Prophet or Messengers name- 8 -the orders of Allah from administrationobservation guarding and protecting the universe aswell as its creatures all according to Allahs Will andOrder Allah has revealed to us the names of some ofthe angels for example Gabriel who was given thetask of revelation Michael who has been assignedthe task of directing rain and vegetation There isalso the Angel of Death who has been given the task

of collecting the souls at their appointed timesBelief in the ScripturesMuslims also believe in the original scripturesrevealed by Allah such as the Scriptures of Abrahamand Moses the Torah the Psalms of David and theGospel of Jesus The final revelation to humanity isthe Quran which was revealed to ProphetMuhammad () The Quran remains preserved andunchanged since the time of revelation in its originalArabic text There is only one version of the QuranIt is recited and memorized by Muslims throughoutthe world It contains the final message to humanityand legislation which both encompasses all spheresof human life and is also suited to all peoples and alltimes Moreover it contains numerous verses thatspeak of the universe its components andphenomena - the earth sun moon stars mountainswind rivers and seas plants animals as well as thesuccessive stages of human embryonic development- 9 -One of the miracles of the Quran and evidence of itsdivine origins is that nothing within it contradictsany established scientific fact

Belief in the MessengersA Muslim is required to believe that Allah chosethe finest amongst humanity to be Messengerswhom He sent to His creation with specificlegislations to worship and obey Him and toestablish His religion and His Oneness Allah theAlmighty saysAnd We did not send any Messenger beforeyou [O Muhammad ()] but We inspired him[saying] none has the right to be worshippedbut I (Allah) so worship Me (Alone and noneelse) [2125]The last of the divinely appointed messengerswas Prophet Muhammad () To him was conveyedthe final and complete revelation from Allah All theprophets preached the same basic message theworship of Allah alone In essence they all preachedIslam which means willing peaceful submission toAllah the one true God Creator of the universeThe final prophet was sent by the Creator as ahuman model to be followed and obeyed ProphetMuhammad () exemplified the principles laid- 10 -down in the Quran and true Muslims strive tofollow his noble example His biography has beenrecorded in minute detail and is easily accessible forstudy There is a complete authentically narrateddocumentation of his sayings and practices which isthe second source of Islamic legislation It iscomplementary to the Quran and supplements it

with additional details and clarification of meaningsThis record contains the prophetic traditions referredto as the Sunnah Scholars have carefully andpainstakingly scrutinized the reliability of thetransmitters of these traditions and only thosewhose narrators are found to be completely reliableand sound are acceptedBelief in the Last DayMuslims believe that the life of this world willcome to an end Allah saysWhatsoever is on it (ie the earth) will perish[5526]The Day of Resurrection is the day when eachindividual will stand before Allah and be questionedabout their deeds The compensation for evil in theHereafter is exact justice while the compensation forgood is much greater - comprehensive multiplerewards and complete satisfaction and happiness- 11 -People will be judged according to their degree ofrighteousness and nothing else Allah saysWhoever brings a good deed shall have tentimes the like thereof to his (or her) credit andwhoever brings an evil deed shall have only therecompense of the like thereof [6160]A person is rewarded for merely intending to dogood even if they do not follow up that intentionwith action Prophet Muhammad () mentioned that

Allah saidldquoWhoever intends to perform a good deed butdoes not do it Allah records it for him as onegood deed If one intends to do a good deed anddoes it Allah records for him the like thereoften times up to seven hundred times to manytimes If one intends to do an evil deed butdoes not do it Allah records it for him as onegood deed If one intends to do an evil deed anddoes it Allah records it only as one evil deedrdquo[Bukhari]- 12 -Belief in PredestinationMuslims believe in predestination whether goodor bad which Allah has measured and ordained forall creatures according to His previous knowledgeand as deemed suitable by His wisdom Allah theAll-Knowing knows everything that happened inthe past everything that is happening now and allthat will happen in the future Humankind has beengiven free will and the choice of whether or not tofollow what Allah ordained He has been given amind with which he is able to reason and choosewisely- 13 -The Requirements of IslamThe five pillars of Islam make up the frameworkof a Muslims life they are1 The Shahadah or Declaration of FaithTo be a Muslim one must believe in andpronounce words that mean There is no deity worthy

of being worshipped except Allah and Muhammad is Hisslave and messenger3 This declaration testifies thatAllah exists that He is unlike and superior to Hiscreation and that none is worthy of worship butHim It also testifies that He is the Creator andProprietor of all that exists and Disposer of all affairsAllah says in the QuranNo doubt Verily to Allah belongs whosoeveris in the heavens and whosoever is in the earthAnd those that worship and invoke othersbesides Allah in fact follow not theseassociated-gods they follow only a conjectureand they invent only lies [1066]3 The Arabic wording is Laa ilaahah illal-laah Muhammad RasoolAllah- 14 -The Shahadah testifies that Muhammad is amongthe prophets who conveyed Allahs revelation tohumankind Allah saysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad ())except to all of humankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]In fact it is stated in the Quran that Muhammad() is the last of Allahs messengers Allah saysMuhammad is not the father of any manamong you but he is the Messenger of Allahand the last of the Prophets [3340]The Quran also confirms that Muhammadsteachings are infallible and conveyed from Allah

Allah saysNor does he speak of (his own) desire It is onlyan Inspiration that is inspired [533-4]Thus the Quran and Sunnah of the finalprophet are the basis of the religion and they defineevery aspect of the Islamic way of life- 15 -2 The Salah or Formal Obligatory PrayerPrayer was practiced in some form throughouthistory by all prophets and their followers as anindispensable part of Allahs religion Islam the finalmessage to humanity considers prayer essential AMuslim is required to pray five times daily withinspecified intervals as taught by the Prophet ()These prayers are obligatory and form a direct bondbetween the worshipper and his Creator Islam doesnot call upon Muslims to merely perform this act ofworship rather it wants of them to purify theirsouls Allah () says regarding PrayerIndeed the prayer prevents [you] fromlicentiousness and [other] sins [2945]3 Zakah or Obligatory Annual CharityThe word Zakah means purification andgrowth An important principle of Islam is that allthings belong to Allah Muslims are enjoined to earnand spend their wealth in ways that are acceptable toAllah The divinely ordained system of Zakah is the

right of Allah within His dominion It is neither acharity nor a tax but an obligation due fromMuslims who possess wealth in excess of their basicneeds Thus the difference between Zakah and tax isthat a Muslim pays Zakah willfully and on their ownaccord they are the ones who supervise its payment- 16 -Zakah is only due when a person has the minimumrequired amount which varies with the type ofwealthZakah cleanses a Muslim of greed selfishnessbase covetousness and the love of this temporalworld Allah () saysAnd whosoever is saved from his owncovetousness such are they who will be thesuccessful [599]It is the ideal way to meet the needs of the poorersections of society without causing hardship to thewealthy4 Siyam or FastingAllah has enjoined fasting upon the Muslims asHe enjoined it upon previous nations He theExalted saysO you who believe Fasting has beenprescribed for you as it was prescribed for thosebefore you that you may become the pious[2183]Islamic fasting which involves abstinence fromeating drinking sexual intercourse and allprohibited habits such as smoking is observed

throughout the daylight hours of the lunar month of- 17 -Ramadhan When done in obedience to Godscommand fasting teaches believers patience andself-control as well as reminding them of theirresponsibility toward the millions of human beingswho lack provisions or are victims of their unjustdistribution The month of fasting is accompanied byincreased efforts toward good manners andrighteous deeds along with additional worship atnight Fasting is not a retreat from life rather it is asupplement to the Muslims ordinary activities5 Hajj or PilgrimageHajj the annual pilgrimage to Makkah (in SaudiArabia) is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for thosewho are physically and financially able to perform itAllah saysPilgrimage to the House (ie the Kabah) isincumbent upon men for the sake of Allah(upon) everyone who is able to undertake thejourney to it [397]Nevertheless millions of Muslims journey toMakkah each year from every corner of the globeproviding a unique opportunity for people ofvarious nations to meet one another as guests ofAllah Hajj is an expression of pure faith and totalsubmission to His command and the pilgrim- 18 -performs rites of unqualified obedience seekingnothing but the acceptance of their efforts and

forgiveness of their past sins A person who hascompleted the Hajj returns with a fresh outlook onlife a purified soul and blessings from Allah- 19 -Muhammad the Messenger of Allah ()IntroductionIt all began in the year 610 CE4 with a fewbrave individuals differing in tribe status andgender secretly winding through the alleys ofMakkah to meet the man known as Al-Ameen (iethe trustworthy) One by one they went likestealthy shadows in the moonlight hoping not tobe noticed and reported to powerful city leadersThey were prepared to sacrifice it all ndash theircultures families even their own lives ndash for thesake of worshipping One True GodAl-Ameen had called them to cast aside the paganreligion of their forefathers and to embrace puremonotheism The 40-year-old man whose namewas Muhammad () claimed that Allah saw allpeople men and women free and enslaved asequal A message which would in two shortdecades bring peace to the war-torn ArabianPeninsula and beyond a message forbidding tribalfeudalism and corruption by any leader a messagethat came to be known as ldquoIslamrdquo calling fordevotion and submission to God alone4 Common Era or Christian Era in preference to AD (AnnoDomini) meaning lsquothe year of the Lordrsquo- 20 -Who was heMuhammad () was a man of noble descent Hewas a paradigm of excellent manners Allah the

Exalted praised him sayingAnd verily you (O Muhammad ) are on anexalted (standard of) character [684]His enemies attested to his excellent mannersAbu Jahl who was one of the harshest enemies ofIslam said lsquoO Muhammad I do not say that youare a liar I only deny what you brought and whatyou call people torsquoSome of his Companions described his mannerssayinglsquoHe was never rough He never raised his voicein public or used foul language He did notrepay evil with evil rather he forgave andpardoned He did not raise his hand to hit aservant or woman He would not becomeangry if he was wronged nor would he avengehimself He only became angry when peopletransgressed the limits and boundaries ofAllah in that case he avenged The Prophet ()was not given a choice between two mattersexcept that he chose the easier of the two aslong as it was not a sinful act If that act was asinful act he would be the farthest from it- 21 -When he entered his home he was a normalindividual he would clean his clothes milkhis sheep and serve himselfThomas Carlyle the famous Scottish writerattested to this He said in his book lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in HistoryrsquoBut from an early age he had been remarkedas a thoughtful man His companions namedhim Al Amin The Faithful A man of truth andfidelity true in what he did in what he spoke

and thought They noted that he always meantsomething A man rather taciturn in speechsilent when there was nothing to be said butpertinent wise sincere when he did speakalways throwing light on the matter This is theonly sort of speech worth speaking Throughlife we find him to have been regarded as analtogether solid brotherly genuine man Aserious sincere character yet amiable cordialcompanionable jocose even - a good laugh inhim withal there are men whose laugh is asuntrue as anything about them who cannotlaugh A spontaneous passionate yet just truemeaningman Full of wild faculty fire andlight of wild worth all uncultured working outhis life - takes in the depth of the Desert thereThey called him a prophet you say Why hestood there face to face with them here not- 22 -enshrined in any mystery visibly clouting hisown cloak cobbling his own shoes fightingcounseling ordering in the midst of them Theymust have seen what kind of a man he was lethim be called what ye like No emperor with histiaras was obeyed as this man in a cloak of hisown clouting During three and twenty years ofrough actual trial I find something of averitable hero necessary for that of itselfIf we say the physical appearance of a personinfluences their personality as do sociologists theProphet () was the most beautiful of people as hiscompanions who saw him informed us TheProphet () was of a slightly above-average height

Amazingly in gatherings he would appear tallerthan those actually taller than him - until thepeople dispersed In complexion he was whitewith a rosy tinge pale but not excessively so Hishair was jet black and wavy but stopped short ofcurling and was kept between his earlobes andshoulders Sometimes he would part his hair at themiddle Other times he would wear it braided TheProphet () had the physique of a powerful manHe had a broad upper-back and shouldersbetween which was the Seal of Prophet-hood Hehad long muscular limbs large joints and a widegirth His lean stomach never protruded out pastthe profile of his chest His face was radiant ldquoas ifthe sun were following its course across and- 23 -shining from his facerdquo His shoulders were broadhe was of medium height neither too tall nor shortHe was pleasant looking and majestic people werefull of awe when they saw him for the first timeand knew that his face was not one of a liarPropheciesProphet Jesus () foretold the coming ofanother Prophet whose name would belsquoPeriqlytosrsquo or lsquoParacletersquo or lsquoParacalonrsquo and who(that is whose teaching) would last forever lsquoI willpray the Father and He shall give you anotherComforter (Periqlytos) that he may abide withyou foreverrsquo [John 14 16]The word periqlytos means lsquoillustriouslsquorenownedrsquo and lsquopraiseworthyrsquo and this is exactlywhat the name lsquoAhmedrsquo means It is confirmed inthe Qurrsquoan that the Prophet Jesus did prophesize

that a Prophet named lsquoAhmedrsquo would come afterhimAllah the Exalted saysAnd remember when Jesus the son of Marysaid ldquoO Children of Israel I am the Messengerof Allah unto you confirming the Torah whichcame before me and giving glad tidings of a- 24 -Messenger to come after me whose name shallbe Ahmed [616]The Jews sent priests to John the Baptist tofind out who he was lsquoHe confessed ldquoI am not theChristrdquo And they asked him lsquorsquoWhat then Are youElijahrdquo And He said ldquoI am notrdquo lsquorsquoAre you thatProphetrdquo They insisted And he answered ldquoNordquohellipAnd then they said to him ldquoWhy do you baptizethen if you are not the Christ nor Elijah nor thatProphetrdquo (John 120-25)That Prophet is not Jesus but Muhammad ()because John the Baptist continued preaching andbaptizing and foretelling the coming of that Prophetduring the life-time of JesusWhat they said about Muhammad ()Alphonse de Lamartine said lsquoNever has a manset for himself voluntarily or involuntarily a moresublime aim since this aim was superhuman tosubvert superstitions which had been imposedbetween man and his Creator to render God untoman and man unto God to restore the rational andsacred idea of divinity amidst the chaos of thematerial and disfigured gods of idolatry thenexisting Never has a man undertaken a work sofar beyond human power with so feeble means for

- 25 -he (Muhammad) had in the conception as well asin the execution of such a great design no otherinstrument than himself and no other aid except ahandful of men living in a corner of the desertFinally never has a man accomplished such a hugeand lasting revolution in the world because in lessthan two centuries after its appearance Islam infaith and in arms reigned over the whole ofArabia and conquered in Gods name PersiaKhorasan Transoxania Western India SyriaEgypt Abyssinia all the known continent ofNorthern Africa numerous islands of theMediterranean Sea Spain and part of Gaul Ifgreatness of purpose smallness of means andastonishing results are the three criteria of a humangenius who could dare compare any great man inhistory with Muhammadrdquorsquo5George Bernard Shaw said lsquoI have always heldthe religion of Muhammad in high estimationbecause of its wonderful vitality It is the onlyreligion which appears to possess that assimilatingcapability to the changing phases of existencewhich make itself appeal to every age - I haveprophesized about the faith of Muhammad that itwould be acceptable tomorrow as it is beginning to5 Alphonse de LaMartaine in Histoire de la Turquie Paris1854- 26 -be acceptable to the Europe of today Medievalecclesiastics either through ignorance or bigotrypainted Mohammedanism in the darkest colors

They were in fact trained to hate both the manMuhammad and his religion To them Muhammadwas an anti-Christ I have studied him thewonderful man and in my opinion far from beingan anti-Christ he must be called the Savior ofhumanity - rsquo6The German Poet Wolfgang Goumlthe7 said lsquoIlooked into history for a human paradigm andfound it to be in Muhammad ()rsquo6 The Genuine Islam Vol 1 No 8 19367 A German writer and scientist Master of poetry dramaand the novel he also conducted scientific research invarious fields notably botany and held severalgovernmental positions- 27 -QUESTIONS AND ANSWERSCreedal Issues1) Who is Allah Do Muslims worship a differentGodSome people believe that Muslims worship a Godthat is different from the one worshipped byChristians and Jews This might be due to the factthat Muslims often refer to God as Allah Thisconcept is false since Allah is simply the Arabicword for the One true God Who created theuniverse and all humanity Let there be no doubt -Muslims worship the God of Noah AbrahamMoses David and Jesus () However it is certainlytrue that Jews Christians and Muslims all havedifferent concepts of Almighty God For exampleMuslims - like Jews - reject the Christian beliefs ofthe Trinity and the Divine Incarnation This

however does not mean that each of these threereligions worships a different God - because as wehave already said there is only One TrueGod Judaism Christianity and Islam all claim to beldquoAbrahamic Faithsrdquo and all of them are alsoclassified as ldquomonotheisticrdquo However Islam teachesthat other religions have in one way or anotherdistorted and nullified a pure and proper belief inAlmighty God by neglecting His true teachings and- 28 -mixing them with man-made ideas Islam calls uponpeople to return to the one true God and to worshipand obey Him alone Islam teaches that God shouldbe approached without intermediaries That isbecause the merciful all-knowing God is completelyin control of everything that exists and that He canbestow His grace and mercy on His creatures as Hepleases therefore no intercession atonement orincarnation is necessaryArabic speaking people of all religions refer toGod as Allah For example if you pick up anArabic translation of the Christian Bible you will seethe word Allah where God is used in EnglishTherefore Allah is not the god of only the Muslimsbut the same God worshipped by all monotheisticfaiths This idea that Allah is different from Godis illogical since it is tantamount to saying that theFrench worship a different god because they use

the word Dieu that Spaniards worship a differentgod because they say Dios or that the Hebrewsworshipped a different god because they calledHim YahwehThe Quran which is the divine scripture ofMuslims was revealed in the Arabic language soMuslims use the word Allah for God even whenthey are speaking other languages A more literaltranslation of Allah into English might be the oneand-only God or the one true God- 29 -It should be clearly understood that what Islam isprimarily concerned with is correcting humankindsconcept of Almighty God What people areultimately going to be held accountable for at the endof Day of Judgment is not whether they preferred theword Allah or the word God but what theirconcept of Him is The true concept of God isclarified only within the message revealed by HimThe last message sent by God or Allah is the Quran2) The Quran uses the word lsquoWersquo when quotingAllah Does that mean that Muslims believe inmore than one GodIslam adheres to uncompromising monotheism Itteaches that God is One and indivisible In theQuran God often refers to Himself as We But it

does not mean that there is more than one God Thereference of God to Himself as We in manyQuranic verses is necessarily understood in theArabic language to denote power and grandeur asopposed to the more intimate singular form I usedin specific instancesIn some languages there are two types of pluralform One is related to quantity and used to refer totwo or more persons places or things The other kindof plural is one of majesty power and distinction Forexample in proper English the Queen of Englandrefers to herself as lsquowersquo This is known as the lsquoroyal- 30 -pluralrsquo Rajeev Gandhi the ex-Prime Minister ofIndia used to say in Hindi Hum dekhna chahte hainWe want to see lsquoHumrsquo means lsquowersquo which is again aroyal plural in Hindi language Similarly when Godrefers to Himself in the Quran He sometimes usesthe Arabic word nahnu meaning lsquoWersquo It does notindicate a plurality of number but the plurality ofpower and majestyThe oneness of God is stressed throughout theQuran A clear example is in this short chapterSay He is Allah [who is] One Allah is He onWhom all depend He neither begets nor isborn nor is there to Him any equivalent [1121-4]3) The Quran says that Allah is merciful and that

He gives severe punishment So is He forgiving oris He vengefulThe Quran mentions many times that God is theMost Merciful In fact all except one of the 114chapters of the Quran begin with Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem which means I begin with thename of God the Entirely Merciful and theEspecially Merciful These two descriptions of Godare sometimes translated as The Compassionate theMerciful however in Arabic grammar both namesare an intensive form of the word mercifulRahmaan means merciful to all creation and justice is- 31 -part of this mercy Raheem means merciful especiallyto the believers and forgiveness is part of this mercyA complimentary and comprehensive meaning isintended by the use of both of them together Inaddition Allah speaks of His forgiveness throughoutthe Quran In fact Gods mercy and forgivenesshave been mentioned together more than 70 times inthe Quran Allah repeatedly reminds us sayingAnd Allah is Forgiving and MercifulBut He also gives severe punishment to thosewho deserve it Allah told Prophet Muhammad ()Inform My slaves that it is I Who am the

Forgiving the Merciful and that it is Mypunishment which is the [most] painfulpunishment [1549-50]Allah is just and His justice necessitates that Hereward those who obey and serve Him and punishthose who disobey and rebel against Him If Allahdid not punish the sinful wicked and evil peoplewho deserve to be punished it would not be justiceWhen punishment for wrongdoing is certain itserves to deter potential offenders In contrast ifAllah forgave everyone and punished no one therewould be no reason for legislation ethics or evenmorality Life on earth would be chaotic and nothing- 32 -short of anarchy True justice with its true rewardsand just penalties can only be found with Allah andthat is what He has promised in the QuranWe shall place the scales of justice for the Dayof Judgment so no soul will be dealt withunjustly at all And if there is [even] the weightof a mustard seed We will bring it forth Andsufficient are We to take account [2147]Allah forgives all those who repent and correctthemselves at any stage in their lives and He hasinvited all people to His abundant forgiveness andmercySay lsquoO My slaves who have transgressedagainst their souls Despair not of the mercy ofAllah Indeed Allah forgives all sins Indeed itis He who is the Forgiving the Merciful And

return [in repentance] to your Lord and submitto Him before the punishment comes upon youthen you will not be helped And follow thebest of what was revealed to you from your Lordbefore the punishment comes upon yousuddenly while you do not perceive [3953-5]- 33 -4) Some believe that Muslims worshipMuhammad Is this trueMuslims do not worship Muhammad () in anyway They believe that he was the last messenger sentby Allah and like all His other prophets andmessengers he was a human being However somepeople mistakenly assume that Muslims worshipMuhammad and this is one of the reasons thatMuslims were erroneously called MohammedansMuhammad like Jesus never claimed divinestatus He called people to worship Almighty Allahalone and he continually emphasized his humanityIn order to prevent his deification ProphetMuhammad () always said to refer to him asAllahs slave and messenger He () saidlsquoDo not adulate me as the Christians adulatedJesus son of Mary I am Allahs slave andmessengerrsquo (Bukhari)Muhammad was chosen to be Allahs finalmessenger and to communicate His message to usnot only in words but also as a living example of itspractical application Muslims love and respect him

because of his impeccable and upright moralcharacter and because he conveyed the truth fromAllah - which is the pure monotheism of Islam- 34 -Muslims strive to follow the great example ofProphet Muhammad () but do not worship him inany way Islam teaches Muslims to respect all ofAllahs prophets and messengers Howeverrespecting and loving them does not meanworshipping them Muslims know that all worshipand prayer must be directed to Allah aloneIn fact the worship of Muhammad - or anyoneelse ndash along with or instead of Almighty Allah isconsidered an unpardonable sin in Islam Even if aperson claims to be Muslim but worships or prays toanything other than God it invalidates ones claim toIslam The Declaration of Faith makes it clear thatMuslims must worship Allah alone5) Is Islam fatalisticMost Muslims find it rather odd that theirreligion which strikes a remarkable balance betweenfaith and deeds are sometimes accused of beingfatalistic Perhaps this misconception came aboutbecause Muslims are known to say All praise is due toAllah whenever anything good or bad happens Thisis because Muslims know that everything comesfrom God the Creator of the universe and occurs by

His will Thus a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always- 35 -for the best whether one recognizes it or not so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changedThis does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life On thecontrary Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation To be more preciseaction is a required part of ones faith If humanbeings did not have the ability to act it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things Far from being fatalistic Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to GodIslam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate Someeven say that if Allah had willed they would nothave sinned or committed crimes All of thesearguments are completely erroneous because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibited

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

Islamic faith are belief in Allah in the angels createdby Him in His scriptures in the prophets throughwhom His revelation was conveyed to humanity inthe eternal life after death and in Allahs perfectjudgment and complete authority over humandestinyBelief in AllahMonotheism is the essence of Islam and itemphasizes the Oneness of Allah Muslims believe inOne eternal and unique God He is the Creator of allthat exists yet He cannot be compared to anything ofHis creation Muslims acknowledge that Allah alone1 This symbol means may Allah exalt his mention and renderhim safe from all evil- 7 -is divine that He alone is the Creator and Sustainerof creation He is all-knowing and all-powerfulcompletely just and mercifulAllah is not part of His creation nor is any of it apart of Him The significance of exclusive divinity isthat no one and nothing in existence is worthy to beworshipped except Allah the Creator and Sustainerof all things In Islam everything is built upon theOneness of Allah No act of worship has any

meaning if the concept of monotheism is in any waycompromisedThe proper name of God is Allah He is thesame God known to Christians Jews and to peopleof other monotheistic faiths Allah sent a series ofmessages to mankind through appointed prophetsand messengers Quite a few of them are familiar topeople of Judeo-Christian background such asAdam Noah Abraham Moses Jesus and manyothers ()2Belief in the AngelsMuslims believe that Angels exist No one knowstheir exact number except Him They obey Himfulfill His commands and guard over the universeand the creatures that dwell within it They carry out2 This symbol means may Allah redner him safe from all eviland is said after a Prophet or Messengers name- 8 -the orders of Allah from administrationobservation guarding and protecting the universe aswell as its creatures all according to Allahs Will andOrder Allah has revealed to us the names of some ofthe angels for example Gabriel who was given thetask of revelation Michael who has been assignedthe task of directing rain and vegetation There isalso the Angel of Death who has been given the task

of collecting the souls at their appointed timesBelief in the ScripturesMuslims also believe in the original scripturesrevealed by Allah such as the Scriptures of Abrahamand Moses the Torah the Psalms of David and theGospel of Jesus The final revelation to humanity isthe Quran which was revealed to ProphetMuhammad () The Quran remains preserved andunchanged since the time of revelation in its originalArabic text There is only one version of the QuranIt is recited and memorized by Muslims throughoutthe world It contains the final message to humanityand legislation which both encompasses all spheresof human life and is also suited to all peoples and alltimes Moreover it contains numerous verses thatspeak of the universe its components andphenomena - the earth sun moon stars mountainswind rivers and seas plants animals as well as thesuccessive stages of human embryonic development- 9 -One of the miracles of the Quran and evidence of itsdivine origins is that nothing within it contradictsany established scientific fact

Belief in the MessengersA Muslim is required to believe that Allah chosethe finest amongst humanity to be Messengerswhom He sent to His creation with specificlegislations to worship and obey Him and toestablish His religion and His Oneness Allah theAlmighty saysAnd We did not send any Messenger beforeyou [O Muhammad ()] but We inspired him[saying] none has the right to be worshippedbut I (Allah) so worship Me (Alone and noneelse) [2125]The last of the divinely appointed messengerswas Prophet Muhammad () To him was conveyedthe final and complete revelation from Allah All theprophets preached the same basic message theworship of Allah alone In essence they all preachedIslam which means willing peaceful submission toAllah the one true God Creator of the universeThe final prophet was sent by the Creator as ahuman model to be followed and obeyed ProphetMuhammad () exemplified the principles laid- 10 -down in the Quran and true Muslims strive tofollow his noble example His biography has beenrecorded in minute detail and is easily accessible forstudy There is a complete authentically narrateddocumentation of his sayings and practices which isthe second source of Islamic legislation It iscomplementary to the Quran and supplements it

with additional details and clarification of meaningsThis record contains the prophetic traditions referredto as the Sunnah Scholars have carefully andpainstakingly scrutinized the reliability of thetransmitters of these traditions and only thosewhose narrators are found to be completely reliableand sound are acceptedBelief in the Last DayMuslims believe that the life of this world willcome to an end Allah saysWhatsoever is on it (ie the earth) will perish[5526]The Day of Resurrection is the day when eachindividual will stand before Allah and be questionedabout their deeds The compensation for evil in theHereafter is exact justice while the compensation forgood is much greater - comprehensive multiplerewards and complete satisfaction and happiness- 11 -People will be judged according to their degree ofrighteousness and nothing else Allah saysWhoever brings a good deed shall have tentimes the like thereof to his (or her) credit andwhoever brings an evil deed shall have only therecompense of the like thereof [6160]A person is rewarded for merely intending to dogood even if they do not follow up that intentionwith action Prophet Muhammad () mentioned that

Allah saidldquoWhoever intends to perform a good deed butdoes not do it Allah records it for him as onegood deed If one intends to do a good deed anddoes it Allah records for him the like thereoften times up to seven hundred times to manytimes If one intends to do an evil deed butdoes not do it Allah records it for him as onegood deed If one intends to do an evil deed anddoes it Allah records it only as one evil deedrdquo[Bukhari]- 12 -Belief in PredestinationMuslims believe in predestination whether goodor bad which Allah has measured and ordained forall creatures according to His previous knowledgeand as deemed suitable by His wisdom Allah theAll-Knowing knows everything that happened inthe past everything that is happening now and allthat will happen in the future Humankind has beengiven free will and the choice of whether or not tofollow what Allah ordained He has been given amind with which he is able to reason and choosewisely- 13 -The Requirements of IslamThe five pillars of Islam make up the frameworkof a Muslims life they are1 The Shahadah or Declaration of FaithTo be a Muslim one must believe in andpronounce words that mean There is no deity worthy

of being worshipped except Allah and Muhammad is Hisslave and messenger3 This declaration testifies thatAllah exists that He is unlike and superior to Hiscreation and that none is worthy of worship butHim It also testifies that He is the Creator andProprietor of all that exists and Disposer of all affairsAllah says in the QuranNo doubt Verily to Allah belongs whosoeveris in the heavens and whosoever is in the earthAnd those that worship and invoke othersbesides Allah in fact follow not theseassociated-gods they follow only a conjectureand they invent only lies [1066]3 The Arabic wording is Laa ilaahah illal-laah Muhammad RasoolAllah- 14 -The Shahadah testifies that Muhammad is amongthe prophets who conveyed Allahs revelation tohumankind Allah saysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad ())except to all of humankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]In fact it is stated in the Quran that Muhammad() is the last of Allahs messengers Allah saysMuhammad is not the father of any manamong you but he is the Messenger of Allahand the last of the Prophets [3340]The Quran also confirms that Muhammadsteachings are infallible and conveyed from Allah

Allah saysNor does he speak of (his own) desire It is onlyan Inspiration that is inspired [533-4]Thus the Quran and Sunnah of the finalprophet are the basis of the religion and they defineevery aspect of the Islamic way of life- 15 -2 The Salah or Formal Obligatory PrayerPrayer was practiced in some form throughouthistory by all prophets and their followers as anindispensable part of Allahs religion Islam the finalmessage to humanity considers prayer essential AMuslim is required to pray five times daily withinspecified intervals as taught by the Prophet ()These prayers are obligatory and form a direct bondbetween the worshipper and his Creator Islam doesnot call upon Muslims to merely perform this act ofworship rather it wants of them to purify theirsouls Allah () says regarding PrayerIndeed the prayer prevents [you] fromlicentiousness and [other] sins [2945]3 Zakah or Obligatory Annual CharityThe word Zakah means purification andgrowth An important principle of Islam is that allthings belong to Allah Muslims are enjoined to earnand spend their wealth in ways that are acceptable toAllah The divinely ordained system of Zakah is the

right of Allah within His dominion It is neither acharity nor a tax but an obligation due fromMuslims who possess wealth in excess of their basicneeds Thus the difference between Zakah and tax isthat a Muslim pays Zakah willfully and on their ownaccord they are the ones who supervise its payment- 16 -Zakah is only due when a person has the minimumrequired amount which varies with the type ofwealthZakah cleanses a Muslim of greed selfishnessbase covetousness and the love of this temporalworld Allah () saysAnd whosoever is saved from his owncovetousness such are they who will be thesuccessful [599]It is the ideal way to meet the needs of the poorersections of society without causing hardship to thewealthy4 Siyam or FastingAllah has enjoined fasting upon the Muslims asHe enjoined it upon previous nations He theExalted saysO you who believe Fasting has beenprescribed for you as it was prescribed for thosebefore you that you may become the pious[2183]Islamic fasting which involves abstinence fromeating drinking sexual intercourse and allprohibited habits such as smoking is observed

throughout the daylight hours of the lunar month of- 17 -Ramadhan When done in obedience to Godscommand fasting teaches believers patience andself-control as well as reminding them of theirresponsibility toward the millions of human beingswho lack provisions or are victims of their unjustdistribution The month of fasting is accompanied byincreased efforts toward good manners andrighteous deeds along with additional worship atnight Fasting is not a retreat from life rather it is asupplement to the Muslims ordinary activities5 Hajj or PilgrimageHajj the annual pilgrimage to Makkah (in SaudiArabia) is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for thosewho are physically and financially able to perform itAllah saysPilgrimage to the House (ie the Kabah) isincumbent upon men for the sake of Allah(upon) everyone who is able to undertake thejourney to it [397]Nevertheless millions of Muslims journey toMakkah each year from every corner of the globeproviding a unique opportunity for people ofvarious nations to meet one another as guests ofAllah Hajj is an expression of pure faith and totalsubmission to His command and the pilgrim- 18 -performs rites of unqualified obedience seekingnothing but the acceptance of their efforts and

forgiveness of their past sins A person who hascompleted the Hajj returns with a fresh outlook onlife a purified soul and blessings from Allah- 19 -Muhammad the Messenger of Allah ()IntroductionIt all began in the year 610 CE4 with a fewbrave individuals differing in tribe status andgender secretly winding through the alleys ofMakkah to meet the man known as Al-Ameen (iethe trustworthy) One by one they went likestealthy shadows in the moonlight hoping not tobe noticed and reported to powerful city leadersThey were prepared to sacrifice it all ndash theircultures families even their own lives ndash for thesake of worshipping One True GodAl-Ameen had called them to cast aside the paganreligion of their forefathers and to embrace puremonotheism The 40-year-old man whose namewas Muhammad () claimed that Allah saw allpeople men and women free and enslaved asequal A message which would in two shortdecades bring peace to the war-torn ArabianPeninsula and beyond a message forbidding tribalfeudalism and corruption by any leader a messagethat came to be known as ldquoIslamrdquo calling fordevotion and submission to God alone4 Common Era or Christian Era in preference to AD (AnnoDomini) meaning lsquothe year of the Lordrsquo- 20 -Who was heMuhammad () was a man of noble descent Hewas a paradigm of excellent manners Allah the

Exalted praised him sayingAnd verily you (O Muhammad ) are on anexalted (standard of) character [684]His enemies attested to his excellent mannersAbu Jahl who was one of the harshest enemies ofIslam said lsquoO Muhammad I do not say that youare a liar I only deny what you brought and whatyou call people torsquoSome of his Companions described his mannerssayinglsquoHe was never rough He never raised his voicein public or used foul language He did notrepay evil with evil rather he forgave andpardoned He did not raise his hand to hit aservant or woman He would not becomeangry if he was wronged nor would he avengehimself He only became angry when peopletransgressed the limits and boundaries ofAllah in that case he avenged The Prophet ()was not given a choice between two mattersexcept that he chose the easier of the two aslong as it was not a sinful act If that act was asinful act he would be the farthest from it- 21 -When he entered his home he was a normalindividual he would clean his clothes milkhis sheep and serve himselfThomas Carlyle the famous Scottish writerattested to this He said in his book lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in HistoryrsquoBut from an early age he had been remarkedas a thoughtful man His companions namedhim Al Amin The Faithful A man of truth andfidelity true in what he did in what he spoke

and thought They noted that he always meantsomething A man rather taciturn in speechsilent when there was nothing to be said butpertinent wise sincere when he did speakalways throwing light on the matter This is theonly sort of speech worth speaking Throughlife we find him to have been regarded as analtogether solid brotherly genuine man Aserious sincere character yet amiable cordialcompanionable jocose even - a good laugh inhim withal there are men whose laugh is asuntrue as anything about them who cannotlaugh A spontaneous passionate yet just truemeaningman Full of wild faculty fire andlight of wild worth all uncultured working outhis life - takes in the depth of the Desert thereThey called him a prophet you say Why hestood there face to face with them here not- 22 -enshrined in any mystery visibly clouting hisown cloak cobbling his own shoes fightingcounseling ordering in the midst of them Theymust have seen what kind of a man he was lethim be called what ye like No emperor with histiaras was obeyed as this man in a cloak of hisown clouting During three and twenty years ofrough actual trial I find something of averitable hero necessary for that of itselfIf we say the physical appearance of a personinfluences their personality as do sociologists theProphet () was the most beautiful of people as hiscompanions who saw him informed us TheProphet () was of a slightly above-average height

Amazingly in gatherings he would appear tallerthan those actually taller than him - until thepeople dispersed In complexion he was whitewith a rosy tinge pale but not excessively so Hishair was jet black and wavy but stopped short ofcurling and was kept between his earlobes andshoulders Sometimes he would part his hair at themiddle Other times he would wear it braided TheProphet () had the physique of a powerful manHe had a broad upper-back and shouldersbetween which was the Seal of Prophet-hood Hehad long muscular limbs large joints and a widegirth His lean stomach never protruded out pastthe profile of his chest His face was radiant ldquoas ifthe sun were following its course across and- 23 -shining from his facerdquo His shoulders were broadhe was of medium height neither too tall nor shortHe was pleasant looking and majestic people werefull of awe when they saw him for the first timeand knew that his face was not one of a liarPropheciesProphet Jesus () foretold the coming ofanother Prophet whose name would belsquoPeriqlytosrsquo or lsquoParacletersquo or lsquoParacalonrsquo and who(that is whose teaching) would last forever lsquoI willpray the Father and He shall give you anotherComforter (Periqlytos) that he may abide withyou foreverrsquo [John 14 16]The word periqlytos means lsquoillustriouslsquorenownedrsquo and lsquopraiseworthyrsquo and this is exactlywhat the name lsquoAhmedrsquo means It is confirmed inthe Qurrsquoan that the Prophet Jesus did prophesize

that a Prophet named lsquoAhmedrsquo would come afterhimAllah the Exalted saysAnd remember when Jesus the son of Marysaid ldquoO Children of Israel I am the Messengerof Allah unto you confirming the Torah whichcame before me and giving glad tidings of a- 24 -Messenger to come after me whose name shallbe Ahmed [616]The Jews sent priests to John the Baptist tofind out who he was lsquoHe confessed ldquoI am not theChristrdquo And they asked him lsquorsquoWhat then Are youElijahrdquo And He said ldquoI am notrdquo lsquorsquoAre you thatProphetrdquo They insisted And he answered ldquoNordquohellipAnd then they said to him ldquoWhy do you baptizethen if you are not the Christ nor Elijah nor thatProphetrdquo (John 120-25)That Prophet is not Jesus but Muhammad ()because John the Baptist continued preaching andbaptizing and foretelling the coming of that Prophetduring the life-time of JesusWhat they said about Muhammad ()Alphonse de Lamartine said lsquoNever has a manset for himself voluntarily or involuntarily a moresublime aim since this aim was superhuman tosubvert superstitions which had been imposedbetween man and his Creator to render God untoman and man unto God to restore the rational andsacred idea of divinity amidst the chaos of thematerial and disfigured gods of idolatry thenexisting Never has a man undertaken a work sofar beyond human power with so feeble means for

- 25 -he (Muhammad) had in the conception as well asin the execution of such a great design no otherinstrument than himself and no other aid except ahandful of men living in a corner of the desertFinally never has a man accomplished such a hugeand lasting revolution in the world because in lessthan two centuries after its appearance Islam infaith and in arms reigned over the whole ofArabia and conquered in Gods name PersiaKhorasan Transoxania Western India SyriaEgypt Abyssinia all the known continent ofNorthern Africa numerous islands of theMediterranean Sea Spain and part of Gaul Ifgreatness of purpose smallness of means andastonishing results are the three criteria of a humangenius who could dare compare any great man inhistory with Muhammadrdquorsquo5George Bernard Shaw said lsquoI have always heldthe religion of Muhammad in high estimationbecause of its wonderful vitality It is the onlyreligion which appears to possess that assimilatingcapability to the changing phases of existencewhich make itself appeal to every age - I haveprophesized about the faith of Muhammad that itwould be acceptable tomorrow as it is beginning to5 Alphonse de LaMartaine in Histoire de la Turquie Paris1854- 26 -be acceptable to the Europe of today Medievalecclesiastics either through ignorance or bigotrypainted Mohammedanism in the darkest colors

They were in fact trained to hate both the manMuhammad and his religion To them Muhammadwas an anti-Christ I have studied him thewonderful man and in my opinion far from beingan anti-Christ he must be called the Savior ofhumanity - rsquo6The German Poet Wolfgang Goumlthe7 said lsquoIlooked into history for a human paradigm andfound it to be in Muhammad ()rsquo6 The Genuine Islam Vol 1 No 8 19367 A German writer and scientist Master of poetry dramaand the novel he also conducted scientific research invarious fields notably botany and held severalgovernmental positions- 27 -QUESTIONS AND ANSWERSCreedal Issues1) Who is Allah Do Muslims worship a differentGodSome people believe that Muslims worship a Godthat is different from the one worshipped byChristians and Jews This might be due to the factthat Muslims often refer to God as Allah Thisconcept is false since Allah is simply the Arabicword for the One true God Who created theuniverse and all humanity Let there be no doubt -Muslims worship the God of Noah AbrahamMoses David and Jesus () However it is certainlytrue that Jews Christians and Muslims all havedifferent concepts of Almighty God For exampleMuslims - like Jews - reject the Christian beliefs ofthe Trinity and the Divine Incarnation This

however does not mean that each of these threereligions worships a different God - because as wehave already said there is only One TrueGod Judaism Christianity and Islam all claim to beldquoAbrahamic Faithsrdquo and all of them are alsoclassified as ldquomonotheisticrdquo However Islam teachesthat other religions have in one way or anotherdistorted and nullified a pure and proper belief inAlmighty God by neglecting His true teachings and- 28 -mixing them with man-made ideas Islam calls uponpeople to return to the one true God and to worshipand obey Him alone Islam teaches that God shouldbe approached without intermediaries That isbecause the merciful all-knowing God is completelyin control of everything that exists and that He canbestow His grace and mercy on His creatures as Hepleases therefore no intercession atonement orincarnation is necessaryArabic speaking people of all religions refer toGod as Allah For example if you pick up anArabic translation of the Christian Bible you will seethe word Allah where God is used in EnglishTherefore Allah is not the god of only the Muslimsbut the same God worshipped by all monotheisticfaiths This idea that Allah is different from Godis illogical since it is tantamount to saying that theFrench worship a different god because they use

the word Dieu that Spaniards worship a differentgod because they say Dios or that the Hebrewsworshipped a different god because they calledHim YahwehThe Quran which is the divine scripture ofMuslims was revealed in the Arabic language soMuslims use the word Allah for God even whenthey are speaking other languages A more literaltranslation of Allah into English might be the oneand-only God or the one true God- 29 -It should be clearly understood that what Islam isprimarily concerned with is correcting humankindsconcept of Almighty God What people areultimately going to be held accountable for at the endof Day of Judgment is not whether they preferred theword Allah or the word God but what theirconcept of Him is The true concept of God isclarified only within the message revealed by HimThe last message sent by God or Allah is the Quran2) The Quran uses the word lsquoWersquo when quotingAllah Does that mean that Muslims believe inmore than one GodIslam adheres to uncompromising monotheism Itteaches that God is One and indivisible In theQuran God often refers to Himself as We But it

does not mean that there is more than one God Thereference of God to Himself as We in manyQuranic verses is necessarily understood in theArabic language to denote power and grandeur asopposed to the more intimate singular form I usedin specific instancesIn some languages there are two types of pluralform One is related to quantity and used to refer totwo or more persons places or things The other kindof plural is one of majesty power and distinction Forexample in proper English the Queen of Englandrefers to herself as lsquowersquo This is known as the lsquoroyal- 30 -pluralrsquo Rajeev Gandhi the ex-Prime Minister ofIndia used to say in Hindi Hum dekhna chahte hainWe want to see lsquoHumrsquo means lsquowersquo which is again aroyal plural in Hindi language Similarly when Godrefers to Himself in the Quran He sometimes usesthe Arabic word nahnu meaning lsquoWersquo It does notindicate a plurality of number but the plurality ofpower and majestyThe oneness of God is stressed throughout theQuran A clear example is in this short chapterSay He is Allah [who is] One Allah is He onWhom all depend He neither begets nor isborn nor is there to Him any equivalent [1121-4]3) The Quran says that Allah is merciful and that

He gives severe punishment So is He forgiving oris He vengefulThe Quran mentions many times that God is theMost Merciful In fact all except one of the 114chapters of the Quran begin with Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem which means I begin with thename of God the Entirely Merciful and theEspecially Merciful These two descriptions of Godare sometimes translated as The Compassionate theMerciful however in Arabic grammar both namesare an intensive form of the word mercifulRahmaan means merciful to all creation and justice is- 31 -part of this mercy Raheem means merciful especiallyto the believers and forgiveness is part of this mercyA complimentary and comprehensive meaning isintended by the use of both of them together Inaddition Allah speaks of His forgiveness throughoutthe Quran In fact Gods mercy and forgivenesshave been mentioned together more than 70 times inthe Quran Allah repeatedly reminds us sayingAnd Allah is Forgiving and MercifulBut He also gives severe punishment to thosewho deserve it Allah told Prophet Muhammad ()Inform My slaves that it is I Who am the

Forgiving the Merciful and that it is Mypunishment which is the [most] painfulpunishment [1549-50]Allah is just and His justice necessitates that Hereward those who obey and serve Him and punishthose who disobey and rebel against Him If Allahdid not punish the sinful wicked and evil peoplewho deserve to be punished it would not be justiceWhen punishment for wrongdoing is certain itserves to deter potential offenders In contrast ifAllah forgave everyone and punished no one therewould be no reason for legislation ethics or evenmorality Life on earth would be chaotic and nothing- 32 -short of anarchy True justice with its true rewardsand just penalties can only be found with Allah andthat is what He has promised in the QuranWe shall place the scales of justice for the Dayof Judgment so no soul will be dealt withunjustly at all And if there is [even] the weightof a mustard seed We will bring it forth Andsufficient are We to take account [2147]Allah forgives all those who repent and correctthemselves at any stage in their lives and He hasinvited all people to His abundant forgiveness andmercySay lsquoO My slaves who have transgressedagainst their souls Despair not of the mercy ofAllah Indeed Allah forgives all sins Indeed itis He who is the Forgiving the Merciful And

return [in repentance] to your Lord and submitto Him before the punishment comes upon youthen you will not be helped And follow thebest of what was revealed to you from your Lordbefore the punishment comes upon yousuddenly while you do not perceive [3953-5]- 33 -4) Some believe that Muslims worshipMuhammad Is this trueMuslims do not worship Muhammad () in anyway They believe that he was the last messenger sentby Allah and like all His other prophets andmessengers he was a human being However somepeople mistakenly assume that Muslims worshipMuhammad and this is one of the reasons thatMuslims were erroneously called MohammedansMuhammad like Jesus never claimed divinestatus He called people to worship Almighty Allahalone and he continually emphasized his humanityIn order to prevent his deification ProphetMuhammad () always said to refer to him asAllahs slave and messenger He () saidlsquoDo not adulate me as the Christians adulatedJesus son of Mary I am Allahs slave andmessengerrsquo (Bukhari)Muhammad was chosen to be Allahs finalmessenger and to communicate His message to usnot only in words but also as a living example of itspractical application Muslims love and respect him

because of his impeccable and upright moralcharacter and because he conveyed the truth fromAllah - which is the pure monotheism of Islam- 34 -Muslims strive to follow the great example ofProphet Muhammad () but do not worship him inany way Islam teaches Muslims to respect all ofAllahs prophets and messengers Howeverrespecting and loving them does not meanworshipping them Muslims know that all worshipand prayer must be directed to Allah aloneIn fact the worship of Muhammad - or anyoneelse ndash along with or instead of Almighty Allah isconsidered an unpardonable sin in Islam Even if aperson claims to be Muslim but worships or prays toanything other than God it invalidates ones claim toIslam The Declaration of Faith makes it clear thatMuslims must worship Allah alone5) Is Islam fatalisticMost Muslims find it rather odd that theirreligion which strikes a remarkable balance betweenfaith and deeds are sometimes accused of beingfatalistic Perhaps this misconception came aboutbecause Muslims are known to say All praise is due toAllah whenever anything good or bad happens Thisis because Muslims know that everything comesfrom God the Creator of the universe and occurs by

His will Thus a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always- 35 -for the best whether one recognizes it or not so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changedThis does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life On thecontrary Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation To be more preciseaction is a required part of ones faith If humanbeings did not have the ability to act it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things Far from being fatalistic Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to GodIslam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate Someeven say that if Allah had willed they would nothave sinned or committed crimes All of thesearguments are completely erroneous because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibited

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

meaning if the concept of monotheism is in any waycompromisedThe proper name of God is Allah He is thesame God known to Christians Jews and to peopleof other monotheistic faiths Allah sent a series ofmessages to mankind through appointed prophetsand messengers Quite a few of them are familiar topeople of Judeo-Christian background such asAdam Noah Abraham Moses Jesus and manyothers ()2Belief in the AngelsMuslims believe that Angels exist No one knowstheir exact number except Him They obey Himfulfill His commands and guard over the universeand the creatures that dwell within it They carry out2 This symbol means may Allah redner him safe from all eviland is said after a Prophet or Messengers name- 8 -the orders of Allah from administrationobservation guarding and protecting the universe aswell as its creatures all according to Allahs Will andOrder Allah has revealed to us the names of some ofthe angels for example Gabriel who was given thetask of revelation Michael who has been assignedthe task of directing rain and vegetation There isalso the Angel of Death who has been given the task

of collecting the souls at their appointed timesBelief in the ScripturesMuslims also believe in the original scripturesrevealed by Allah such as the Scriptures of Abrahamand Moses the Torah the Psalms of David and theGospel of Jesus The final revelation to humanity isthe Quran which was revealed to ProphetMuhammad () The Quran remains preserved andunchanged since the time of revelation in its originalArabic text There is only one version of the QuranIt is recited and memorized by Muslims throughoutthe world It contains the final message to humanityand legislation which both encompasses all spheresof human life and is also suited to all peoples and alltimes Moreover it contains numerous verses thatspeak of the universe its components andphenomena - the earth sun moon stars mountainswind rivers and seas plants animals as well as thesuccessive stages of human embryonic development- 9 -One of the miracles of the Quran and evidence of itsdivine origins is that nothing within it contradictsany established scientific fact

Belief in the MessengersA Muslim is required to believe that Allah chosethe finest amongst humanity to be Messengerswhom He sent to His creation with specificlegislations to worship and obey Him and toestablish His religion and His Oneness Allah theAlmighty saysAnd We did not send any Messenger beforeyou [O Muhammad ()] but We inspired him[saying] none has the right to be worshippedbut I (Allah) so worship Me (Alone and noneelse) [2125]The last of the divinely appointed messengerswas Prophet Muhammad () To him was conveyedthe final and complete revelation from Allah All theprophets preached the same basic message theworship of Allah alone In essence they all preachedIslam which means willing peaceful submission toAllah the one true God Creator of the universeThe final prophet was sent by the Creator as ahuman model to be followed and obeyed ProphetMuhammad () exemplified the principles laid- 10 -down in the Quran and true Muslims strive tofollow his noble example His biography has beenrecorded in minute detail and is easily accessible forstudy There is a complete authentically narrateddocumentation of his sayings and practices which isthe second source of Islamic legislation It iscomplementary to the Quran and supplements it

with additional details and clarification of meaningsThis record contains the prophetic traditions referredto as the Sunnah Scholars have carefully andpainstakingly scrutinized the reliability of thetransmitters of these traditions and only thosewhose narrators are found to be completely reliableand sound are acceptedBelief in the Last DayMuslims believe that the life of this world willcome to an end Allah saysWhatsoever is on it (ie the earth) will perish[5526]The Day of Resurrection is the day when eachindividual will stand before Allah and be questionedabout their deeds The compensation for evil in theHereafter is exact justice while the compensation forgood is much greater - comprehensive multiplerewards and complete satisfaction and happiness- 11 -People will be judged according to their degree ofrighteousness and nothing else Allah saysWhoever brings a good deed shall have tentimes the like thereof to his (or her) credit andwhoever brings an evil deed shall have only therecompense of the like thereof [6160]A person is rewarded for merely intending to dogood even if they do not follow up that intentionwith action Prophet Muhammad () mentioned that

Allah saidldquoWhoever intends to perform a good deed butdoes not do it Allah records it for him as onegood deed If one intends to do a good deed anddoes it Allah records for him the like thereoften times up to seven hundred times to manytimes If one intends to do an evil deed butdoes not do it Allah records it for him as onegood deed If one intends to do an evil deed anddoes it Allah records it only as one evil deedrdquo[Bukhari]- 12 -Belief in PredestinationMuslims believe in predestination whether goodor bad which Allah has measured and ordained forall creatures according to His previous knowledgeand as deemed suitable by His wisdom Allah theAll-Knowing knows everything that happened inthe past everything that is happening now and allthat will happen in the future Humankind has beengiven free will and the choice of whether or not tofollow what Allah ordained He has been given amind with which he is able to reason and choosewisely- 13 -The Requirements of IslamThe five pillars of Islam make up the frameworkof a Muslims life they are1 The Shahadah or Declaration of FaithTo be a Muslim one must believe in andpronounce words that mean There is no deity worthy

of being worshipped except Allah and Muhammad is Hisslave and messenger3 This declaration testifies thatAllah exists that He is unlike and superior to Hiscreation and that none is worthy of worship butHim It also testifies that He is the Creator andProprietor of all that exists and Disposer of all affairsAllah says in the QuranNo doubt Verily to Allah belongs whosoeveris in the heavens and whosoever is in the earthAnd those that worship and invoke othersbesides Allah in fact follow not theseassociated-gods they follow only a conjectureand they invent only lies [1066]3 The Arabic wording is Laa ilaahah illal-laah Muhammad RasoolAllah- 14 -The Shahadah testifies that Muhammad is amongthe prophets who conveyed Allahs revelation tohumankind Allah saysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad ())except to all of humankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]In fact it is stated in the Quran that Muhammad() is the last of Allahs messengers Allah saysMuhammad is not the father of any manamong you but he is the Messenger of Allahand the last of the Prophets [3340]The Quran also confirms that Muhammadsteachings are infallible and conveyed from Allah

Allah saysNor does he speak of (his own) desire It is onlyan Inspiration that is inspired [533-4]Thus the Quran and Sunnah of the finalprophet are the basis of the religion and they defineevery aspect of the Islamic way of life- 15 -2 The Salah or Formal Obligatory PrayerPrayer was practiced in some form throughouthistory by all prophets and their followers as anindispensable part of Allahs religion Islam the finalmessage to humanity considers prayer essential AMuslim is required to pray five times daily withinspecified intervals as taught by the Prophet ()These prayers are obligatory and form a direct bondbetween the worshipper and his Creator Islam doesnot call upon Muslims to merely perform this act ofworship rather it wants of them to purify theirsouls Allah () says regarding PrayerIndeed the prayer prevents [you] fromlicentiousness and [other] sins [2945]3 Zakah or Obligatory Annual CharityThe word Zakah means purification andgrowth An important principle of Islam is that allthings belong to Allah Muslims are enjoined to earnand spend their wealth in ways that are acceptable toAllah The divinely ordained system of Zakah is the

right of Allah within His dominion It is neither acharity nor a tax but an obligation due fromMuslims who possess wealth in excess of their basicneeds Thus the difference between Zakah and tax isthat a Muslim pays Zakah willfully and on their ownaccord they are the ones who supervise its payment- 16 -Zakah is only due when a person has the minimumrequired amount which varies with the type ofwealthZakah cleanses a Muslim of greed selfishnessbase covetousness and the love of this temporalworld Allah () saysAnd whosoever is saved from his owncovetousness such are they who will be thesuccessful [599]It is the ideal way to meet the needs of the poorersections of society without causing hardship to thewealthy4 Siyam or FastingAllah has enjoined fasting upon the Muslims asHe enjoined it upon previous nations He theExalted saysO you who believe Fasting has beenprescribed for you as it was prescribed for thosebefore you that you may become the pious[2183]Islamic fasting which involves abstinence fromeating drinking sexual intercourse and allprohibited habits such as smoking is observed

throughout the daylight hours of the lunar month of- 17 -Ramadhan When done in obedience to Godscommand fasting teaches believers patience andself-control as well as reminding them of theirresponsibility toward the millions of human beingswho lack provisions or are victims of their unjustdistribution The month of fasting is accompanied byincreased efforts toward good manners andrighteous deeds along with additional worship atnight Fasting is not a retreat from life rather it is asupplement to the Muslims ordinary activities5 Hajj or PilgrimageHajj the annual pilgrimage to Makkah (in SaudiArabia) is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for thosewho are physically and financially able to perform itAllah saysPilgrimage to the House (ie the Kabah) isincumbent upon men for the sake of Allah(upon) everyone who is able to undertake thejourney to it [397]Nevertheless millions of Muslims journey toMakkah each year from every corner of the globeproviding a unique opportunity for people ofvarious nations to meet one another as guests ofAllah Hajj is an expression of pure faith and totalsubmission to His command and the pilgrim- 18 -performs rites of unqualified obedience seekingnothing but the acceptance of their efforts and

forgiveness of their past sins A person who hascompleted the Hajj returns with a fresh outlook onlife a purified soul and blessings from Allah- 19 -Muhammad the Messenger of Allah ()IntroductionIt all began in the year 610 CE4 with a fewbrave individuals differing in tribe status andgender secretly winding through the alleys ofMakkah to meet the man known as Al-Ameen (iethe trustworthy) One by one they went likestealthy shadows in the moonlight hoping not tobe noticed and reported to powerful city leadersThey were prepared to sacrifice it all ndash theircultures families even their own lives ndash for thesake of worshipping One True GodAl-Ameen had called them to cast aside the paganreligion of their forefathers and to embrace puremonotheism The 40-year-old man whose namewas Muhammad () claimed that Allah saw allpeople men and women free and enslaved asequal A message which would in two shortdecades bring peace to the war-torn ArabianPeninsula and beyond a message forbidding tribalfeudalism and corruption by any leader a messagethat came to be known as ldquoIslamrdquo calling fordevotion and submission to God alone4 Common Era or Christian Era in preference to AD (AnnoDomini) meaning lsquothe year of the Lordrsquo- 20 -Who was heMuhammad () was a man of noble descent Hewas a paradigm of excellent manners Allah the

Exalted praised him sayingAnd verily you (O Muhammad ) are on anexalted (standard of) character [684]His enemies attested to his excellent mannersAbu Jahl who was one of the harshest enemies ofIslam said lsquoO Muhammad I do not say that youare a liar I only deny what you brought and whatyou call people torsquoSome of his Companions described his mannerssayinglsquoHe was never rough He never raised his voicein public or used foul language He did notrepay evil with evil rather he forgave andpardoned He did not raise his hand to hit aservant or woman He would not becomeangry if he was wronged nor would he avengehimself He only became angry when peopletransgressed the limits and boundaries ofAllah in that case he avenged The Prophet ()was not given a choice between two mattersexcept that he chose the easier of the two aslong as it was not a sinful act If that act was asinful act he would be the farthest from it- 21 -When he entered his home he was a normalindividual he would clean his clothes milkhis sheep and serve himselfThomas Carlyle the famous Scottish writerattested to this He said in his book lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in HistoryrsquoBut from an early age he had been remarkedas a thoughtful man His companions namedhim Al Amin The Faithful A man of truth andfidelity true in what he did in what he spoke

and thought They noted that he always meantsomething A man rather taciturn in speechsilent when there was nothing to be said butpertinent wise sincere when he did speakalways throwing light on the matter This is theonly sort of speech worth speaking Throughlife we find him to have been regarded as analtogether solid brotherly genuine man Aserious sincere character yet amiable cordialcompanionable jocose even - a good laugh inhim withal there are men whose laugh is asuntrue as anything about them who cannotlaugh A spontaneous passionate yet just truemeaningman Full of wild faculty fire andlight of wild worth all uncultured working outhis life - takes in the depth of the Desert thereThey called him a prophet you say Why hestood there face to face with them here not- 22 -enshrined in any mystery visibly clouting hisown cloak cobbling his own shoes fightingcounseling ordering in the midst of them Theymust have seen what kind of a man he was lethim be called what ye like No emperor with histiaras was obeyed as this man in a cloak of hisown clouting During three and twenty years ofrough actual trial I find something of averitable hero necessary for that of itselfIf we say the physical appearance of a personinfluences their personality as do sociologists theProphet () was the most beautiful of people as hiscompanions who saw him informed us TheProphet () was of a slightly above-average height

Amazingly in gatherings he would appear tallerthan those actually taller than him - until thepeople dispersed In complexion he was whitewith a rosy tinge pale but not excessively so Hishair was jet black and wavy but stopped short ofcurling and was kept between his earlobes andshoulders Sometimes he would part his hair at themiddle Other times he would wear it braided TheProphet () had the physique of a powerful manHe had a broad upper-back and shouldersbetween which was the Seal of Prophet-hood Hehad long muscular limbs large joints and a widegirth His lean stomach never protruded out pastthe profile of his chest His face was radiant ldquoas ifthe sun were following its course across and- 23 -shining from his facerdquo His shoulders were broadhe was of medium height neither too tall nor shortHe was pleasant looking and majestic people werefull of awe when they saw him for the first timeand knew that his face was not one of a liarPropheciesProphet Jesus () foretold the coming ofanother Prophet whose name would belsquoPeriqlytosrsquo or lsquoParacletersquo or lsquoParacalonrsquo and who(that is whose teaching) would last forever lsquoI willpray the Father and He shall give you anotherComforter (Periqlytos) that he may abide withyou foreverrsquo [John 14 16]The word periqlytos means lsquoillustriouslsquorenownedrsquo and lsquopraiseworthyrsquo and this is exactlywhat the name lsquoAhmedrsquo means It is confirmed inthe Qurrsquoan that the Prophet Jesus did prophesize

that a Prophet named lsquoAhmedrsquo would come afterhimAllah the Exalted saysAnd remember when Jesus the son of Marysaid ldquoO Children of Israel I am the Messengerof Allah unto you confirming the Torah whichcame before me and giving glad tidings of a- 24 -Messenger to come after me whose name shallbe Ahmed [616]The Jews sent priests to John the Baptist tofind out who he was lsquoHe confessed ldquoI am not theChristrdquo And they asked him lsquorsquoWhat then Are youElijahrdquo And He said ldquoI am notrdquo lsquorsquoAre you thatProphetrdquo They insisted And he answered ldquoNordquohellipAnd then they said to him ldquoWhy do you baptizethen if you are not the Christ nor Elijah nor thatProphetrdquo (John 120-25)That Prophet is not Jesus but Muhammad ()because John the Baptist continued preaching andbaptizing and foretelling the coming of that Prophetduring the life-time of JesusWhat they said about Muhammad ()Alphonse de Lamartine said lsquoNever has a manset for himself voluntarily or involuntarily a moresublime aim since this aim was superhuman tosubvert superstitions which had been imposedbetween man and his Creator to render God untoman and man unto God to restore the rational andsacred idea of divinity amidst the chaos of thematerial and disfigured gods of idolatry thenexisting Never has a man undertaken a work sofar beyond human power with so feeble means for

- 25 -he (Muhammad) had in the conception as well asin the execution of such a great design no otherinstrument than himself and no other aid except ahandful of men living in a corner of the desertFinally never has a man accomplished such a hugeand lasting revolution in the world because in lessthan two centuries after its appearance Islam infaith and in arms reigned over the whole ofArabia and conquered in Gods name PersiaKhorasan Transoxania Western India SyriaEgypt Abyssinia all the known continent ofNorthern Africa numerous islands of theMediterranean Sea Spain and part of Gaul Ifgreatness of purpose smallness of means andastonishing results are the three criteria of a humangenius who could dare compare any great man inhistory with Muhammadrdquorsquo5George Bernard Shaw said lsquoI have always heldthe religion of Muhammad in high estimationbecause of its wonderful vitality It is the onlyreligion which appears to possess that assimilatingcapability to the changing phases of existencewhich make itself appeal to every age - I haveprophesized about the faith of Muhammad that itwould be acceptable tomorrow as it is beginning to5 Alphonse de LaMartaine in Histoire de la Turquie Paris1854- 26 -be acceptable to the Europe of today Medievalecclesiastics either through ignorance or bigotrypainted Mohammedanism in the darkest colors

They were in fact trained to hate both the manMuhammad and his religion To them Muhammadwas an anti-Christ I have studied him thewonderful man and in my opinion far from beingan anti-Christ he must be called the Savior ofhumanity - rsquo6The German Poet Wolfgang Goumlthe7 said lsquoIlooked into history for a human paradigm andfound it to be in Muhammad ()rsquo6 The Genuine Islam Vol 1 No 8 19367 A German writer and scientist Master of poetry dramaand the novel he also conducted scientific research invarious fields notably botany and held severalgovernmental positions- 27 -QUESTIONS AND ANSWERSCreedal Issues1) Who is Allah Do Muslims worship a differentGodSome people believe that Muslims worship a Godthat is different from the one worshipped byChristians and Jews This might be due to the factthat Muslims often refer to God as Allah Thisconcept is false since Allah is simply the Arabicword for the One true God Who created theuniverse and all humanity Let there be no doubt -Muslims worship the God of Noah AbrahamMoses David and Jesus () However it is certainlytrue that Jews Christians and Muslims all havedifferent concepts of Almighty God For exampleMuslims - like Jews - reject the Christian beliefs ofthe Trinity and the Divine Incarnation This

however does not mean that each of these threereligions worships a different God - because as wehave already said there is only One TrueGod Judaism Christianity and Islam all claim to beldquoAbrahamic Faithsrdquo and all of them are alsoclassified as ldquomonotheisticrdquo However Islam teachesthat other religions have in one way or anotherdistorted and nullified a pure and proper belief inAlmighty God by neglecting His true teachings and- 28 -mixing them with man-made ideas Islam calls uponpeople to return to the one true God and to worshipand obey Him alone Islam teaches that God shouldbe approached without intermediaries That isbecause the merciful all-knowing God is completelyin control of everything that exists and that He canbestow His grace and mercy on His creatures as Hepleases therefore no intercession atonement orincarnation is necessaryArabic speaking people of all religions refer toGod as Allah For example if you pick up anArabic translation of the Christian Bible you will seethe word Allah where God is used in EnglishTherefore Allah is not the god of only the Muslimsbut the same God worshipped by all monotheisticfaiths This idea that Allah is different from Godis illogical since it is tantamount to saying that theFrench worship a different god because they use

the word Dieu that Spaniards worship a differentgod because they say Dios or that the Hebrewsworshipped a different god because they calledHim YahwehThe Quran which is the divine scripture ofMuslims was revealed in the Arabic language soMuslims use the word Allah for God even whenthey are speaking other languages A more literaltranslation of Allah into English might be the oneand-only God or the one true God- 29 -It should be clearly understood that what Islam isprimarily concerned with is correcting humankindsconcept of Almighty God What people areultimately going to be held accountable for at the endof Day of Judgment is not whether they preferred theword Allah or the word God but what theirconcept of Him is The true concept of God isclarified only within the message revealed by HimThe last message sent by God or Allah is the Quran2) The Quran uses the word lsquoWersquo when quotingAllah Does that mean that Muslims believe inmore than one GodIslam adheres to uncompromising monotheism Itteaches that God is One and indivisible In theQuran God often refers to Himself as We But it

does not mean that there is more than one God Thereference of God to Himself as We in manyQuranic verses is necessarily understood in theArabic language to denote power and grandeur asopposed to the more intimate singular form I usedin specific instancesIn some languages there are two types of pluralform One is related to quantity and used to refer totwo or more persons places or things The other kindof plural is one of majesty power and distinction Forexample in proper English the Queen of Englandrefers to herself as lsquowersquo This is known as the lsquoroyal- 30 -pluralrsquo Rajeev Gandhi the ex-Prime Minister ofIndia used to say in Hindi Hum dekhna chahte hainWe want to see lsquoHumrsquo means lsquowersquo which is again aroyal plural in Hindi language Similarly when Godrefers to Himself in the Quran He sometimes usesthe Arabic word nahnu meaning lsquoWersquo It does notindicate a plurality of number but the plurality ofpower and majestyThe oneness of God is stressed throughout theQuran A clear example is in this short chapterSay He is Allah [who is] One Allah is He onWhom all depend He neither begets nor isborn nor is there to Him any equivalent [1121-4]3) The Quran says that Allah is merciful and that

He gives severe punishment So is He forgiving oris He vengefulThe Quran mentions many times that God is theMost Merciful In fact all except one of the 114chapters of the Quran begin with Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem which means I begin with thename of God the Entirely Merciful and theEspecially Merciful These two descriptions of Godare sometimes translated as The Compassionate theMerciful however in Arabic grammar both namesare an intensive form of the word mercifulRahmaan means merciful to all creation and justice is- 31 -part of this mercy Raheem means merciful especiallyto the believers and forgiveness is part of this mercyA complimentary and comprehensive meaning isintended by the use of both of them together Inaddition Allah speaks of His forgiveness throughoutthe Quran In fact Gods mercy and forgivenesshave been mentioned together more than 70 times inthe Quran Allah repeatedly reminds us sayingAnd Allah is Forgiving and MercifulBut He also gives severe punishment to thosewho deserve it Allah told Prophet Muhammad ()Inform My slaves that it is I Who am the

Forgiving the Merciful and that it is Mypunishment which is the [most] painfulpunishment [1549-50]Allah is just and His justice necessitates that Hereward those who obey and serve Him and punishthose who disobey and rebel against Him If Allahdid not punish the sinful wicked and evil peoplewho deserve to be punished it would not be justiceWhen punishment for wrongdoing is certain itserves to deter potential offenders In contrast ifAllah forgave everyone and punished no one therewould be no reason for legislation ethics or evenmorality Life on earth would be chaotic and nothing- 32 -short of anarchy True justice with its true rewardsand just penalties can only be found with Allah andthat is what He has promised in the QuranWe shall place the scales of justice for the Dayof Judgment so no soul will be dealt withunjustly at all And if there is [even] the weightof a mustard seed We will bring it forth Andsufficient are We to take account [2147]Allah forgives all those who repent and correctthemselves at any stage in their lives and He hasinvited all people to His abundant forgiveness andmercySay lsquoO My slaves who have transgressedagainst their souls Despair not of the mercy ofAllah Indeed Allah forgives all sins Indeed itis He who is the Forgiving the Merciful And

return [in repentance] to your Lord and submitto Him before the punishment comes upon youthen you will not be helped And follow thebest of what was revealed to you from your Lordbefore the punishment comes upon yousuddenly while you do not perceive [3953-5]- 33 -4) Some believe that Muslims worshipMuhammad Is this trueMuslims do not worship Muhammad () in anyway They believe that he was the last messenger sentby Allah and like all His other prophets andmessengers he was a human being However somepeople mistakenly assume that Muslims worshipMuhammad and this is one of the reasons thatMuslims were erroneously called MohammedansMuhammad like Jesus never claimed divinestatus He called people to worship Almighty Allahalone and he continually emphasized his humanityIn order to prevent his deification ProphetMuhammad () always said to refer to him asAllahs slave and messenger He () saidlsquoDo not adulate me as the Christians adulatedJesus son of Mary I am Allahs slave andmessengerrsquo (Bukhari)Muhammad was chosen to be Allahs finalmessenger and to communicate His message to usnot only in words but also as a living example of itspractical application Muslims love and respect him

because of his impeccable and upright moralcharacter and because he conveyed the truth fromAllah - which is the pure monotheism of Islam- 34 -Muslims strive to follow the great example ofProphet Muhammad () but do not worship him inany way Islam teaches Muslims to respect all ofAllahs prophets and messengers Howeverrespecting and loving them does not meanworshipping them Muslims know that all worshipand prayer must be directed to Allah aloneIn fact the worship of Muhammad - or anyoneelse ndash along with or instead of Almighty Allah isconsidered an unpardonable sin in Islam Even if aperson claims to be Muslim but worships or prays toanything other than God it invalidates ones claim toIslam The Declaration of Faith makes it clear thatMuslims must worship Allah alone5) Is Islam fatalisticMost Muslims find it rather odd that theirreligion which strikes a remarkable balance betweenfaith and deeds are sometimes accused of beingfatalistic Perhaps this misconception came aboutbecause Muslims are known to say All praise is due toAllah whenever anything good or bad happens Thisis because Muslims know that everything comesfrom God the Creator of the universe and occurs by

His will Thus a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always- 35 -for the best whether one recognizes it or not so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changedThis does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life On thecontrary Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation To be more preciseaction is a required part of ones faith If humanbeings did not have the ability to act it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things Far from being fatalistic Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to GodIslam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate Someeven say that if Allah had willed they would nothave sinned or committed crimes All of thesearguments are completely erroneous because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibited

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

of collecting the souls at their appointed timesBelief in the ScripturesMuslims also believe in the original scripturesrevealed by Allah such as the Scriptures of Abrahamand Moses the Torah the Psalms of David and theGospel of Jesus The final revelation to humanity isthe Quran which was revealed to ProphetMuhammad () The Quran remains preserved andunchanged since the time of revelation in its originalArabic text There is only one version of the QuranIt is recited and memorized by Muslims throughoutthe world It contains the final message to humanityand legislation which both encompasses all spheresof human life and is also suited to all peoples and alltimes Moreover it contains numerous verses thatspeak of the universe its components andphenomena - the earth sun moon stars mountainswind rivers and seas plants animals as well as thesuccessive stages of human embryonic development- 9 -One of the miracles of the Quran and evidence of itsdivine origins is that nothing within it contradictsany established scientific fact

Belief in the MessengersA Muslim is required to believe that Allah chosethe finest amongst humanity to be Messengerswhom He sent to His creation with specificlegislations to worship and obey Him and toestablish His religion and His Oneness Allah theAlmighty saysAnd We did not send any Messenger beforeyou [O Muhammad ()] but We inspired him[saying] none has the right to be worshippedbut I (Allah) so worship Me (Alone and noneelse) [2125]The last of the divinely appointed messengerswas Prophet Muhammad () To him was conveyedthe final and complete revelation from Allah All theprophets preached the same basic message theworship of Allah alone In essence they all preachedIslam which means willing peaceful submission toAllah the one true God Creator of the universeThe final prophet was sent by the Creator as ahuman model to be followed and obeyed ProphetMuhammad () exemplified the principles laid- 10 -down in the Quran and true Muslims strive tofollow his noble example His biography has beenrecorded in minute detail and is easily accessible forstudy There is a complete authentically narrateddocumentation of his sayings and practices which isthe second source of Islamic legislation It iscomplementary to the Quran and supplements it

with additional details and clarification of meaningsThis record contains the prophetic traditions referredto as the Sunnah Scholars have carefully andpainstakingly scrutinized the reliability of thetransmitters of these traditions and only thosewhose narrators are found to be completely reliableand sound are acceptedBelief in the Last DayMuslims believe that the life of this world willcome to an end Allah saysWhatsoever is on it (ie the earth) will perish[5526]The Day of Resurrection is the day when eachindividual will stand before Allah and be questionedabout their deeds The compensation for evil in theHereafter is exact justice while the compensation forgood is much greater - comprehensive multiplerewards and complete satisfaction and happiness- 11 -People will be judged according to their degree ofrighteousness and nothing else Allah saysWhoever brings a good deed shall have tentimes the like thereof to his (or her) credit andwhoever brings an evil deed shall have only therecompense of the like thereof [6160]A person is rewarded for merely intending to dogood even if they do not follow up that intentionwith action Prophet Muhammad () mentioned that

Allah saidldquoWhoever intends to perform a good deed butdoes not do it Allah records it for him as onegood deed If one intends to do a good deed anddoes it Allah records for him the like thereoften times up to seven hundred times to manytimes If one intends to do an evil deed butdoes not do it Allah records it for him as onegood deed If one intends to do an evil deed anddoes it Allah records it only as one evil deedrdquo[Bukhari]- 12 -Belief in PredestinationMuslims believe in predestination whether goodor bad which Allah has measured and ordained forall creatures according to His previous knowledgeand as deemed suitable by His wisdom Allah theAll-Knowing knows everything that happened inthe past everything that is happening now and allthat will happen in the future Humankind has beengiven free will and the choice of whether or not tofollow what Allah ordained He has been given amind with which he is able to reason and choosewisely- 13 -The Requirements of IslamThe five pillars of Islam make up the frameworkof a Muslims life they are1 The Shahadah or Declaration of FaithTo be a Muslim one must believe in andpronounce words that mean There is no deity worthy

of being worshipped except Allah and Muhammad is Hisslave and messenger3 This declaration testifies thatAllah exists that He is unlike and superior to Hiscreation and that none is worthy of worship butHim It also testifies that He is the Creator andProprietor of all that exists and Disposer of all affairsAllah says in the QuranNo doubt Verily to Allah belongs whosoeveris in the heavens and whosoever is in the earthAnd those that worship and invoke othersbesides Allah in fact follow not theseassociated-gods they follow only a conjectureand they invent only lies [1066]3 The Arabic wording is Laa ilaahah illal-laah Muhammad RasoolAllah- 14 -The Shahadah testifies that Muhammad is amongthe prophets who conveyed Allahs revelation tohumankind Allah saysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad ())except to all of humankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]In fact it is stated in the Quran that Muhammad() is the last of Allahs messengers Allah saysMuhammad is not the father of any manamong you but he is the Messenger of Allahand the last of the Prophets [3340]The Quran also confirms that Muhammadsteachings are infallible and conveyed from Allah

Allah saysNor does he speak of (his own) desire It is onlyan Inspiration that is inspired [533-4]Thus the Quran and Sunnah of the finalprophet are the basis of the religion and they defineevery aspect of the Islamic way of life- 15 -2 The Salah or Formal Obligatory PrayerPrayer was practiced in some form throughouthistory by all prophets and their followers as anindispensable part of Allahs religion Islam the finalmessage to humanity considers prayer essential AMuslim is required to pray five times daily withinspecified intervals as taught by the Prophet ()These prayers are obligatory and form a direct bondbetween the worshipper and his Creator Islam doesnot call upon Muslims to merely perform this act ofworship rather it wants of them to purify theirsouls Allah () says regarding PrayerIndeed the prayer prevents [you] fromlicentiousness and [other] sins [2945]3 Zakah or Obligatory Annual CharityThe word Zakah means purification andgrowth An important principle of Islam is that allthings belong to Allah Muslims are enjoined to earnand spend their wealth in ways that are acceptable toAllah The divinely ordained system of Zakah is the

right of Allah within His dominion It is neither acharity nor a tax but an obligation due fromMuslims who possess wealth in excess of their basicneeds Thus the difference between Zakah and tax isthat a Muslim pays Zakah willfully and on their ownaccord they are the ones who supervise its payment- 16 -Zakah is only due when a person has the minimumrequired amount which varies with the type ofwealthZakah cleanses a Muslim of greed selfishnessbase covetousness and the love of this temporalworld Allah () saysAnd whosoever is saved from his owncovetousness such are they who will be thesuccessful [599]It is the ideal way to meet the needs of the poorersections of society without causing hardship to thewealthy4 Siyam or FastingAllah has enjoined fasting upon the Muslims asHe enjoined it upon previous nations He theExalted saysO you who believe Fasting has beenprescribed for you as it was prescribed for thosebefore you that you may become the pious[2183]Islamic fasting which involves abstinence fromeating drinking sexual intercourse and allprohibited habits such as smoking is observed

throughout the daylight hours of the lunar month of- 17 -Ramadhan When done in obedience to Godscommand fasting teaches believers patience andself-control as well as reminding them of theirresponsibility toward the millions of human beingswho lack provisions or are victims of their unjustdistribution The month of fasting is accompanied byincreased efforts toward good manners andrighteous deeds along with additional worship atnight Fasting is not a retreat from life rather it is asupplement to the Muslims ordinary activities5 Hajj or PilgrimageHajj the annual pilgrimage to Makkah (in SaudiArabia) is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for thosewho are physically and financially able to perform itAllah saysPilgrimage to the House (ie the Kabah) isincumbent upon men for the sake of Allah(upon) everyone who is able to undertake thejourney to it [397]Nevertheless millions of Muslims journey toMakkah each year from every corner of the globeproviding a unique opportunity for people ofvarious nations to meet one another as guests ofAllah Hajj is an expression of pure faith and totalsubmission to His command and the pilgrim- 18 -performs rites of unqualified obedience seekingnothing but the acceptance of their efforts and

forgiveness of their past sins A person who hascompleted the Hajj returns with a fresh outlook onlife a purified soul and blessings from Allah- 19 -Muhammad the Messenger of Allah ()IntroductionIt all began in the year 610 CE4 with a fewbrave individuals differing in tribe status andgender secretly winding through the alleys ofMakkah to meet the man known as Al-Ameen (iethe trustworthy) One by one they went likestealthy shadows in the moonlight hoping not tobe noticed and reported to powerful city leadersThey were prepared to sacrifice it all ndash theircultures families even their own lives ndash for thesake of worshipping One True GodAl-Ameen had called them to cast aside the paganreligion of their forefathers and to embrace puremonotheism The 40-year-old man whose namewas Muhammad () claimed that Allah saw allpeople men and women free and enslaved asequal A message which would in two shortdecades bring peace to the war-torn ArabianPeninsula and beyond a message forbidding tribalfeudalism and corruption by any leader a messagethat came to be known as ldquoIslamrdquo calling fordevotion and submission to God alone4 Common Era or Christian Era in preference to AD (AnnoDomini) meaning lsquothe year of the Lordrsquo- 20 -Who was heMuhammad () was a man of noble descent Hewas a paradigm of excellent manners Allah the

Exalted praised him sayingAnd verily you (O Muhammad ) are on anexalted (standard of) character [684]His enemies attested to his excellent mannersAbu Jahl who was one of the harshest enemies ofIslam said lsquoO Muhammad I do not say that youare a liar I only deny what you brought and whatyou call people torsquoSome of his Companions described his mannerssayinglsquoHe was never rough He never raised his voicein public or used foul language He did notrepay evil with evil rather he forgave andpardoned He did not raise his hand to hit aservant or woman He would not becomeangry if he was wronged nor would he avengehimself He only became angry when peopletransgressed the limits and boundaries ofAllah in that case he avenged The Prophet ()was not given a choice between two mattersexcept that he chose the easier of the two aslong as it was not a sinful act If that act was asinful act he would be the farthest from it- 21 -When he entered his home he was a normalindividual he would clean his clothes milkhis sheep and serve himselfThomas Carlyle the famous Scottish writerattested to this He said in his book lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in HistoryrsquoBut from an early age he had been remarkedas a thoughtful man His companions namedhim Al Amin The Faithful A man of truth andfidelity true in what he did in what he spoke

and thought They noted that he always meantsomething A man rather taciturn in speechsilent when there was nothing to be said butpertinent wise sincere when he did speakalways throwing light on the matter This is theonly sort of speech worth speaking Throughlife we find him to have been regarded as analtogether solid brotherly genuine man Aserious sincere character yet amiable cordialcompanionable jocose even - a good laugh inhim withal there are men whose laugh is asuntrue as anything about them who cannotlaugh A spontaneous passionate yet just truemeaningman Full of wild faculty fire andlight of wild worth all uncultured working outhis life - takes in the depth of the Desert thereThey called him a prophet you say Why hestood there face to face with them here not- 22 -enshrined in any mystery visibly clouting hisown cloak cobbling his own shoes fightingcounseling ordering in the midst of them Theymust have seen what kind of a man he was lethim be called what ye like No emperor with histiaras was obeyed as this man in a cloak of hisown clouting During three and twenty years ofrough actual trial I find something of averitable hero necessary for that of itselfIf we say the physical appearance of a personinfluences their personality as do sociologists theProphet () was the most beautiful of people as hiscompanions who saw him informed us TheProphet () was of a slightly above-average height

Amazingly in gatherings he would appear tallerthan those actually taller than him - until thepeople dispersed In complexion he was whitewith a rosy tinge pale but not excessively so Hishair was jet black and wavy but stopped short ofcurling and was kept between his earlobes andshoulders Sometimes he would part his hair at themiddle Other times he would wear it braided TheProphet () had the physique of a powerful manHe had a broad upper-back and shouldersbetween which was the Seal of Prophet-hood Hehad long muscular limbs large joints and a widegirth His lean stomach never protruded out pastthe profile of his chest His face was radiant ldquoas ifthe sun were following its course across and- 23 -shining from his facerdquo His shoulders were broadhe was of medium height neither too tall nor shortHe was pleasant looking and majestic people werefull of awe when they saw him for the first timeand knew that his face was not one of a liarPropheciesProphet Jesus () foretold the coming ofanother Prophet whose name would belsquoPeriqlytosrsquo or lsquoParacletersquo or lsquoParacalonrsquo and who(that is whose teaching) would last forever lsquoI willpray the Father and He shall give you anotherComforter (Periqlytos) that he may abide withyou foreverrsquo [John 14 16]The word periqlytos means lsquoillustriouslsquorenownedrsquo and lsquopraiseworthyrsquo and this is exactlywhat the name lsquoAhmedrsquo means It is confirmed inthe Qurrsquoan that the Prophet Jesus did prophesize

that a Prophet named lsquoAhmedrsquo would come afterhimAllah the Exalted saysAnd remember when Jesus the son of Marysaid ldquoO Children of Israel I am the Messengerof Allah unto you confirming the Torah whichcame before me and giving glad tidings of a- 24 -Messenger to come after me whose name shallbe Ahmed [616]The Jews sent priests to John the Baptist tofind out who he was lsquoHe confessed ldquoI am not theChristrdquo And they asked him lsquorsquoWhat then Are youElijahrdquo And He said ldquoI am notrdquo lsquorsquoAre you thatProphetrdquo They insisted And he answered ldquoNordquohellipAnd then they said to him ldquoWhy do you baptizethen if you are not the Christ nor Elijah nor thatProphetrdquo (John 120-25)That Prophet is not Jesus but Muhammad ()because John the Baptist continued preaching andbaptizing and foretelling the coming of that Prophetduring the life-time of JesusWhat they said about Muhammad ()Alphonse de Lamartine said lsquoNever has a manset for himself voluntarily or involuntarily a moresublime aim since this aim was superhuman tosubvert superstitions which had been imposedbetween man and his Creator to render God untoman and man unto God to restore the rational andsacred idea of divinity amidst the chaos of thematerial and disfigured gods of idolatry thenexisting Never has a man undertaken a work sofar beyond human power with so feeble means for

- 25 -he (Muhammad) had in the conception as well asin the execution of such a great design no otherinstrument than himself and no other aid except ahandful of men living in a corner of the desertFinally never has a man accomplished such a hugeand lasting revolution in the world because in lessthan two centuries after its appearance Islam infaith and in arms reigned over the whole ofArabia and conquered in Gods name PersiaKhorasan Transoxania Western India SyriaEgypt Abyssinia all the known continent ofNorthern Africa numerous islands of theMediterranean Sea Spain and part of Gaul Ifgreatness of purpose smallness of means andastonishing results are the three criteria of a humangenius who could dare compare any great man inhistory with Muhammadrdquorsquo5George Bernard Shaw said lsquoI have always heldthe religion of Muhammad in high estimationbecause of its wonderful vitality It is the onlyreligion which appears to possess that assimilatingcapability to the changing phases of existencewhich make itself appeal to every age - I haveprophesized about the faith of Muhammad that itwould be acceptable tomorrow as it is beginning to5 Alphonse de LaMartaine in Histoire de la Turquie Paris1854- 26 -be acceptable to the Europe of today Medievalecclesiastics either through ignorance or bigotrypainted Mohammedanism in the darkest colors

They were in fact trained to hate both the manMuhammad and his religion To them Muhammadwas an anti-Christ I have studied him thewonderful man and in my opinion far from beingan anti-Christ he must be called the Savior ofhumanity - rsquo6The German Poet Wolfgang Goumlthe7 said lsquoIlooked into history for a human paradigm andfound it to be in Muhammad ()rsquo6 The Genuine Islam Vol 1 No 8 19367 A German writer and scientist Master of poetry dramaand the novel he also conducted scientific research invarious fields notably botany and held severalgovernmental positions- 27 -QUESTIONS AND ANSWERSCreedal Issues1) Who is Allah Do Muslims worship a differentGodSome people believe that Muslims worship a Godthat is different from the one worshipped byChristians and Jews This might be due to the factthat Muslims often refer to God as Allah Thisconcept is false since Allah is simply the Arabicword for the One true God Who created theuniverse and all humanity Let there be no doubt -Muslims worship the God of Noah AbrahamMoses David and Jesus () However it is certainlytrue that Jews Christians and Muslims all havedifferent concepts of Almighty God For exampleMuslims - like Jews - reject the Christian beliefs ofthe Trinity and the Divine Incarnation This

however does not mean that each of these threereligions worships a different God - because as wehave already said there is only One TrueGod Judaism Christianity and Islam all claim to beldquoAbrahamic Faithsrdquo and all of them are alsoclassified as ldquomonotheisticrdquo However Islam teachesthat other religions have in one way or anotherdistorted and nullified a pure and proper belief inAlmighty God by neglecting His true teachings and- 28 -mixing them with man-made ideas Islam calls uponpeople to return to the one true God and to worshipand obey Him alone Islam teaches that God shouldbe approached without intermediaries That isbecause the merciful all-knowing God is completelyin control of everything that exists and that He canbestow His grace and mercy on His creatures as Hepleases therefore no intercession atonement orincarnation is necessaryArabic speaking people of all religions refer toGod as Allah For example if you pick up anArabic translation of the Christian Bible you will seethe word Allah where God is used in EnglishTherefore Allah is not the god of only the Muslimsbut the same God worshipped by all monotheisticfaiths This idea that Allah is different from Godis illogical since it is tantamount to saying that theFrench worship a different god because they use

the word Dieu that Spaniards worship a differentgod because they say Dios or that the Hebrewsworshipped a different god because they calledHim YahwehThe Quran which is the divine scripture ofMuslims was revealed in the Arabic language soMuslims use the word Allah for God even whenthey are speaking other languages A more literaltranslation of Allah into English might be the oneand-only God or the one true God- 29 -It should be clearly understood that what Islam isprimarily concerned with is correcting humankindsconcept of Almighty God What people areultimately going to be held accountable for at the endof Day of Judgment is not whether they preferred theword Allah or the word God but what theirconcept of Him is The true concept of God isclarified only within the message revealed by HimThe last message sent by God or Allah is the Quran2) The Quran uses the word lsquoWersquo when quotingAllah Does that mean that Muslims believe inmore than one GodIslam adheres to uncompromising monotheism Itteaches that God is One and indivisible In theQuran God often refers to Himself as We But it

does not mean that there is more than one God Thereference of God to Himself as We in manyQuranic verses is necessarily understood in theArabic language to denote power and grandeur asopposed to the more intimate singular form I usedin specific instancesIn some languages there are two types of pluralform One is related to quantity and used to refer totwo or more persons places or things The other kindof plural is one of majesty power and distinction Forexample in proper English the Queen of Englandrefers to herself as lsquowersquo This is known as the lsquoroyal- 30 -pluralrsquo Rajeev Gandhi the ex-Prime Minister ofIndia used to say in Hindi Hum dekhna chahte hainWe want to see lsquoHumrsquo means lsquowersquo which is again aroyal plural in Hindi language Similarly when Godrefers to Himself in the Quran He sometimes usesthe Arabic word nahnu meaning lsquoWersquo It does notindicate a plurality of number but the plurality ofpower and majestyThe oneness of God is stressed throughout theQuran A clear example is in this short chapterSay He is Allah [who is] One Allah is He onWhom all depend He neither begets nor isborn nor is there to Him any equivalent [1121-4]3) The Quran says that Allah is merciful and that

He gives severe punishment So is He forgiving oris He vengefulThe Quran mentions many times that God is theMost Merciful In fact all except one of the 114chapters of the Quran begin with Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem which means I begin with thename of God the Entirely Merciful and theEspecially Merciful These two descriptions of Godare sometimes translated as The Compassionate theMerciful however in Arabic grammar both namesare an intensive form of the word mercifulRahmaan means merciful to all creation and justice is- 31 -part of this mercy Raheem means merciful especiallyto the believers and forgiveness is part of this mercyA complimentary and comprehensive meaning isintended by the use of both of them together Inaddition Allah speaks of His forgiveness throughoutthe Quran In fact Gods mercy and forgivenesshave been mentioned together more than 70 times inthe Quran Allah repeatedly reminds us sayingAnd Allah is Forgiving and MercifulBut He also gives severe punishment to thosewho deserve it Allah told Prophet Muhammad ()Inform My slaves that it is I Who am the

Forgiving the Merciful and that it is Mypunishment which is the [most] painfulpunishment [1549-50]Allah is just and His justice necessitates that Hereward those who obey and serve Him and punishthose who disobey and rebel against Him If Allahdid not punish the sinful wicked and evil peoplewho deserve to be punished it would not be justiceWhen punishment for wrongdoing is certain itserves to deter potential offenders In contrast ifAllah forgave everyone and punished no one therewould be no reason for legislation ethics or evenmorality Life on earth would be chaotic and nothing- 32 -short of anarchy True justice with its true rewardsand just penalties can only be found with Allah andthat is what He has promised in the QuranWe shall place the scales of justice for the Dayof Judgment so no soul will be dealt withunjustly at all And if there is [even] the weightof a mustard seed We will bring it forth Andsufficient are We to take account [2147]Allah forgives all those who repent and correctthemselves at any stage in their lives and He hasinvited all people to His abundant forgiveness andmercySay lsquoO My slaves who have transgressedagainst their souls Despair not of the mercy ofAllah Indeed Allah forgives all sins Indeed itis He who is the Forgiving the Merciful And

return [in repentance] to your Lord and submitto Him before the punishment comes upon youthen you will not be helped And follow thebest of what was revealed to you from your Lordbefore the punishment comes upon yousuddenly while you do not perceive [3953-5]- 33 -4) Some believe that Muslims worshipMuhammad Is this trueMuslims do not worship Muhammad () in anyway They believe that he was the last messenger sentby Allah and like all His other prophets andmessengers he was a human being However somepeople mistakenly assume that Muslims worshipMuhammad and this is one of the reasons thatMuslims were erroneously called MohammedansMuhammad like Jesus never claimed divinestatus He called people to worship Almighty Allahalone and he continually emphasized his humanityIn order to prevent his deification ProphetMuhammad () always said to refer to him asAllahs slave and messenger He () saidlsquoDo not adulate me as the Christians adulatedJesus son of Mary I am Allahs slave andmessengerrsquo (Bukhari)Muhammad was chosen to be Allahs finalmessenger and to communicate His message to usnot only in words but also as a living example of itspractical application Muslims love and respect him

because of his impeccable and upright moralcharacter and because he conveyed the truth fromAllah - which is the pure monotheism of Islam- 34 -Muslims strive to follow the great example ofProphet Muhammad () but do not worship him inany way Islam teaches Muslims to respect all ofAllahs prophets and messengers Howeverrespecting and loving them does not meanworshipping them Muslims know that all worshipand prayer must be directed to Allah aloneIn fact the worship of Muhammad - or anyoneelse ndash along with or instead of Almighty Allah isconsidered an unpardonable sin in Islam Even if aperson claims to be Muslim but worships or prays toanything other than God it invalidates ones claim toIslam The Declaration of Faith makes it clear thatMuslims must worship Allah alone5) Is Islam fatalisticMost Muslims find it rather odd that theirreligion which strikes a remarkable balance betweenfaith and deeds are sometimes accused of beingfatalistic Perhaps this misconception came aboutbecause Muslims are known to say All praise is due toAllah whenever anything good or bad happens Thisis because Muslims know that everything comesfrom God the Creator of the universe and occurs by

His will Thus a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always- 35 -for the best whether one recognizes it or not so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changedThis does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life On thecontrary Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation To be more preciseaction is a required part of ones faith If humanbeings did not have the ability to act it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things Far from being fatalistic Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to GodIslam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate Someeven say that if Allah had willed they would nothave sinned or committed crimes All of thesearguments are completely erroneous because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibited

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

Belief in the MessengersA Muslim is required to believe that Allah chosethe finest amongst humanity to be Messengerswhom He sent to His creation with specificlegislations to worship and obey Him and toestablish His religion and His Oneness Allah theAlmighty saysAnd We did not send any Messenger beforeyou [O Muhammad ()] but We inspired him[saying] none has the right to be worshippedbut I (Allah) so worship Me (Alone and noneelse) [2125]The last of the divinely appointed messengerswas Prophet Muhammad () To him was conveyedthe final and complete revelation from Allah All theprophets preached the same basic message theworship of Allah alone In essence they all preachedIslam which means willing peaceful submission toAllah the one true God Creator of the universeThe final prophet was sent by the Creator as ahuman model to be followed and obeyed ProphetMuhammad () exemplified the principles laid- 10 -down in the Quran and true Muslims strive tofollow his noble example His biography has beenrecorded in minute detail and is easily accessible forstudy There is a complete authentically narrateddocumentation of his sayings and practices which isthe second source of Islamic legislation It iscomplementary to the Quran and supplements it

with additional details and clarification of meaningsThis record contains the prophetic traditions referredto as the Sunnah Scholars have carefully andpainstakingly scrutinized the reliability of thetransmitters of these traditions and only thosewhose narrators are found to be completely reliableand sound are acceptedBelief in the Last DayMuslims believe that the life of this world willcome to an end Allah saysWhatsoever is on it (ie the earth) will perish[5526]The Day of Resurrection is the day when eachindividual will stand before Allah and be questionedabout their deeds The compensation for evil in theHereafter is exact justice while the compensation forgood is much greater - comprehensive multiplerewards and complete satisfaction and happiness- 11 -People will be judged according to their degree ofrighteousness and nothing else Allah saysWhoever brings a good deed shall have tentimes the like thereof to his (or her) credit andwhoever brings an evil deed shall have only therecompense of the like thereof [6160]A person is rewarded for merely intending to dogood even if they do not follow up that intentionwith action Prophet Muhammad () mentioned that

Allah saidldquoWhoever intends to perform a good deed butdoes not do it Allah records it for him as onegood deed If one intends to do a good deed anddoes it Allah records for him the like thereoften times up to seven hundred times to manytimes If one intends to do an evil deed butdoes not do it Allah records it for him as onegood deed If one intends to do an evil deed anddoes it Allah records it only as one evil deedrdquo[Bukhari]- 12 -Belief in PredestinationMuslims believe in predestination whether goodor bad which Allah has measured and ordained forall creatures according to His previous knowledgeand as deemed suitable by His wisdom Allah theAll-Knowing knows everything that happened inthe past everything that is happening now and allthat will happen in the future Humankind has beengiven free will and the choice of whether or not tofollow what Allah ordained He has been given amind with which he is able to reason and choosewisely- 13 -The Requirements of IslamThe five pillars of Islam make up the frameworkof a Muslims life they are1 The Shahadah or Declaration of FaithTo be a Muslim one must believe in andpronounce words that mean There is no deity worthy

of being worshipped except Allah and Muhammad is Hisslave and messenger3 This declaration testifies thatAllah exists that He is unlike and superior to Hiscreation and that none is worthy of worship butHim It also testifies that He is the Creator andProprietor of all that exists and Disposer of all affairsAllah says in the QuranNo doubt Verily to Allah belongs whosoeveris in the heavens and whosoever is in the earthAnd those that worship and invoke othersbesides Allah in fact follow not theseassociated-gods they follow only a conjectureand they invent only lies [1066]3 The Arabic wording is Laa ilaahah illal-laah Muhammad RasoolAllah- 14 -The Shahadah testifies that Muhammad is amongthe prophets who conveyed Allahs revelation tohumankind Allah saysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad ())except to all of humankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]In fact it is stated in the Quran that Muhammad() is the last of Allahs messengers Allah saysMuhammad is not the father of any manamong you but he is the Messenger of Allahand the last of the Prophets [3340]The Quran also confirms that Muhammadsteachings are infallible and conveyed from Allah

Allah saysNor does he speak of (his own) desire It is onlyan Inspiration that is inspired [533-4]Thus the Quran and Sunnah of the finalprophet are the basis of the religion and they defineevery aspect of the Islamic way of life- 15 -2 The Salah or Formal Obligatory PrayerPrayer was practiced in some form throughouthistory by all prophets and their followers as anindispensable part of Allahs religion Islam the finalmessage to humanity considers prayer essential AMuslim is required to pray five times daily withinspecified intervals as taught by the Prophet ()These prayers are obligatory and form a direct bondbetween the worshipper and his Creator Islam doesnot call upon Muslims to merely perform this act ofworship rather it wants of them to purify theirsouls Allah () says regarding PrayerIndeed the prayer prevents [you] fromlicentiousness and [other] sins [2945]3 Zakah or Obligatory Annual CharityThe word Zakah means purification andgrowth An important principle of Islam is that allthings belong to Allah Muslims are enjoined to earnand spend their wealth in ways that are acceptable toAllah The divinely ordained system of Zakah is the

right of Allah within His dominion It is neither acharity nor a tax but an obligation due fromMuslims who possess wealth in excess of their basicneeds Thus the difference between Zakah and tax isthat a Muslim pays Zakah willfully and on their ownaccord they are the ones who supervise its payment- 16 -Zakah is only due when a person has the minimumrequired amount which varies with the type ofwealthZakah cleanses a Muslim of greed selfishnessbase covetousness and the love of this temporalworld Allah () saysAnd whosoever is saved from his owncovetousness such are they who will be thesuccessful [599]It is the ideal way to meet the needs of the poorersections of society without causing hardship to thewealthy4 Siyam or FastingAllah has enjoined fasting upon the Muslims asHe enjoined it upon previous nations He theExalted saysO you who believe Fasting has beenprescribed for you as it was prescribed for thosebefore you that you may become the pious[2183]Islamic fasting which involves abstinence fromeating drinking sexual intercourse and allprohibited habits such as smoking is observed

throughout the daylight hours of the lunar month of- 17 -Ramadhan When done in obedience to Godscommand fasting teaches believers patience andself-control as well as reminding them of theirresponsibility toward the millions of human beingswho lack provisions or are victims of their unjustdistribution The month of fasting is accompanied byincreased efforts toward good manners andrighteous deeds along with additional worship atnight Fasting is not a retreat from life rather it is asupplement to the Muslims ordinary activities5 Hajj or PilgrimageHajj the annual pilgrimage to Makkah (in SaudiArabia) is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for thosewho are physically and financially able to perform itAllah saysPilgrimage to the House (ie the Kabah) isincumbent upon men for the sake of Allah(upon) everyone who is able to undertake thejourney to it [397]Nevertheless millions of Muslims journey toMakkah each year from every corner of the globeproviding a unique opportunity for people ofvarious nations to meet one another as guests ofAllah Hajj is an expression of pure faith and totalsubmission to His command and the pilgrim- 18 -performs rites of unqualified obedience seekingnothing but the acceptance of their efforts and

forgiveness of their past sins A person who hascompleted the Hajj returns with a fresh outlook onlife a purified soul and blessings from Allah- 19 -Muhammad the Messenger of Allah ()IntroductionIt all began in the year 610 CE4 with a fewbrave individuals differing in tribe status andgender secretly winding through the alleys ofMakkah to meet the man known as Al-Ameen (iethe trustworthy) One by one they went likestealthy shadows in the moonlight hoping not tobe noticed and reported to powerful city leadersThey were prepared to sacrifice it all ndash theircultures families even their own lives ndash for thesake of worshipping One True GodAl-Ameen had called them to cast aside the paganreligion of their forefathers and to embrace puremonotheism The 40-year-old man whose namewas Muhammad () claimed that Allah saw allpeople men and women free and enslaved asequal A message which would in two shortdecades bring peace to the war-torn ArabianPeninsula and beyond a message forbidding tribalfeudalism and corruption by any leader a messagethat came to be known as ldquoIslamrdquo calling fordevotion and submission to God alone4 Common Era or Christian Era in preference to AD (AnnoDomini) meaning lsquothe year of the Lordrsquo- 20 -Who was heMuhammad () was a man of noble descent Hewas a paradigm of excellent manners Allah the

Exalted praised him sayingAnd verily you (O Muhammad ) are on anexalted (standard of) character [684]His enemies attested to his excellent mannersAbu Jahl who was one of the harshest enemies ofIslam said lsquoO Muhammad I do not say that youare a liar I only deny what you brought and whatyou call people torsquoSome of his Companions described his mannerssayinglsquoHe was never rough He never raised his voicein public or used foul language He did notrepay evil with evil rather he forgave andpardoned He did not raise his hand to hit aservant or woman He would not becomeangry if he was wronged nor would he avengehimself He only became angry when peopletransgressed the limits and boundaries ofAllah in that case he avenged The Prophet ()was not given a choice between two mattersexcept that he chose the easier of the two aslong as it was not a sinful act If that act was asinful act he would be the farthest from it- 21 -When he entered his home he was a normalindividual he would clean his clothes milkhis sheep and serve himselfThomas Carlyle the famous Scottish writerattested to this He said in his book lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in HistoryrsquoBut from an early age he had been remarkedas a thoughtful man His companions namedhim Al Amin The Faithful A man of truth andfidelity true in what he did in what he spoke

and thought They noted that he always meantsomething A man rather taciturn in speechsilent when there was nothing to be said butpertinent wise sincere when he did speakalways throwing light on the matter This is theonly sort of speech worth speaking Throughlife we find him to have been regarded as analtogether solid brotherly genuine man Aserious sincere character yet amiable cordialcompanionable jocose even - a good laugh inhim withal there are men whose laugh is asuntrue as anything about them who cannotlaugh A spontaneous passionate yet just truemeaningman Full of wild faculty fire andlight of wild worth all uncultured working outhis life - takes in the depth of the Desert thereThey called him a prophet you say Why hestood there face to face with them here not- 22 -enshrined in any mystery visibly clouting hisown cloak cobbling his own shoes fightingcounseling ordering in the midst of them Theymust have seen what kind of a man he was lethim be called what ye like No emperor with histiaras was obeyed as this man in a cloak of hisown clouting During three and twenty years ofrough actual trial I find something of averitable hero necessary for that of itselfIf we say the physical appearance of a personinfluences their personality as do sociologists theProphet () was the most beautiful of people as hiscompanions who saw him informed us TheProphet () was of a slightly above-average height

Amazingly in gatherings he would appear tallerthan those actually taller than him - until thepeople dispersed In complexion he was whitewith a rosy tinge pale but not excessively so Hishair was jet black and wavy but stopped short ofcurling and was kept between his earlobes andshoulders Sometimes he would part his hair at themiddle Other times he would wear it braided TheProphet () had the physique of a powerful manHe had a broad upper-back and shouldersbetween which was the Seal of Prophet-hood Hehad long muscular limbs large joints and a widegirth His lean stomach never protruded out pastthe profile of his chest His face was radiant ldquoas ifthe sun were following its course across and- 23 -shining from his facerdquo His shoulders were broadhe was of medium height neither too tall nor shortHe was pleasant looking and majestic people werefull of awe when they saw him for the first timeand knew that his face was not one of a liarPropheciesProphet Jesus () foretold the coming ofanother Prophet whose name would belsquoPeriqlytosrsquo or lsquoParacletersquo or lsquoParacalonrsquo and who(that is whose teaching) would last forever lsquoI willpray the Father and He shall give you anotherComforter (Periqlytos) that he may abide withyou foreverrsquo [John 14 16]The word periqlytos means lsquoillustriouslsquorenownedrsquo and lsquopraiseworthyrsquo and this is exactlywhat the name lsquoAhmedrsquo means It is confirmed inthe Qurrsquoan that the Prophet Jesus did prophesize

that a Prophet named lsquoAhmedrsquo would come afterhimAllah the Exalted saysAnd remember when Jesus the son of Marysaid ldquoO Children of Israel I am the Messengerof Allah unto you confirming the Torah whichcame before me and giving glad tidings of a- 24 -Messenger to come after me whose name shallbe Ahmed [616]The Jews sent priests to John the Baptist tofind out who he was lsquoHe confessed ldquoI am not theChristrdquo And they asked him lsquorsquoWhat then Are youElijahrdquo And He said ldquoI am notrdquo lsquorsquoAre you thatProphetrdquo They insisted And he answered ldquoNordquohellipAnd then they said to him ldquoWhy do you baptizethen if you are not the Christ nor Elijah nor thatProphetrdquo (John 120-25)That Prophet is not Jesus but Muhammad ()because John the Baptist continued preaching andbaptizing and foretelling the coming of that Prophetduring the life-time of JesusWhat they said about Muhammad ()Alphonse de Lamartine said lsquoNever has a manset for himself voluntarily or involuntarily a moresublime aim since this aim was superhuman tosubvert superstitions which had been imposedbetween man and his Creator to render God untoman and man unto God to restore the rational andsacred idea of divinity amidst the chaos of thematerial and disfigured gods of idolatry thenexisting Never has a man undertaken a work sofar beyond human power with so feeble means for

- 25 -he (Muhammad) had in the conception as well asin the execution of such a great design no otherinstrument than himself and no other aid except ahandful of men living in a corner of the desertFinally never has a man accomplished such a hugeand lasting revolution in the world because in lessthan two centuries after its appearance Islam infaith and in arms reigned over the whole ofArabia and conquered in Gods name PersiaKhorasan Transoxania Western India SyriaEgypt Abyssinia all the known continent ofNorthern Africa numerous islands of theMediterranean Sea Spain and part of Gaul Ifgreatness of purpose smallness of means andastonishing results are the three criteria of a humangenius who could dare compare any great man inhistory with Muhammadrdquorsquo5George Bernard Shaw said lsquoI have always heldthe religion of Muhammad in high estimationbecause of its wonderful vitality It is the onlyreligion which appears to possess that assimilatingcapability to the changing phases of existencewhich make itself appeal to every age - I haveprophesized about the faith of Muhammad that itwould be acceptable tomorrow as it is beginning to5 Alphonse de LaMartaine in Histoire de la Turquie Paris1854- 26 -be acceptable to the Europe of today Medievalecclesiastics either through ignorance or bigotrypainted Mohammedanism in the darkest colors

They were in fact trained to hate both the manMuhammad and his religion To them Muhammadwas an anti-Christ I have studied him thewonderful man and in my opinion far from beingan anti-Christ he must be called the Savior ofhumanity - rsquo6The German Poet Wolfgang Goumlthe7 said lsquoIlooked into history for a human paradigm andfound it to be in Muhammad ()rsquo6 The Genuine Islam Vol 1 No 8 19367 A German writer and scientist Master of poetry dramaand the novel he also conducted scientific research invarious fields notably botany and held severalgovernmental positions- 27 -QUESTIONS AND ANSWERSCreedal Issues1) Who is Allah Do Muslims worship a differentGodSome people believe that Muslims worship a Godthat is different from the one worshipped byChristians and Jews This might be due to the factthat Muslims often refer to God as Allah Thisconcept is false since Allah is simply the Arabicword for the One true God Who created theuniverse and all humanity Let there be no doubt -Muslims worship the God of Noah AbrahamMoses David and Jesus () However it is certainlytrue that Jews Christians and Muslims all havedifferent concepts of Almighty God For exampleMuslims - like Jews - reject the Christian beliefs ofthe Trinity and the Divine Incarnation This

however does not mean that each of these threereligions worships a different God - because as wehave already said there is only One TrueGod Judaism Christianity and Islam all claim to beldquoAbrahamic Faithsrdquo and all of them are alsoclassified as ldquomonotheisticrdquo However Islam teachesthat other religions have in one way or anotherdistorted and nullified a pure and proper belief inAlmighty God by neglecting His true teachings and- 28 -mixing them with man-made ideas Islam calls uponpeople to return to the one true God and to worshipand obey Him alone Islam teaches that God shouldbe approached without intermediaries That isbecause the merciful all-knowing God is completelyin control of everything that exists and that He canbestow His grace and mercy on His creatures as Hepleases therefore no intercession atonement orincarnation is necessaryArabic speaking people of all religions refer toGod as Allah For example if you pick up anArabic translation of the Christian Bible you will seethe word Allah where God is used in EnglishTherefore Allah is not the god of only the Muslimsbut the same God worshipped by all monotheisticfaiths This idea that Allah is different from Godis illogical since it is tantamount to saying that theFrench worship a different god because they use

the word Dieu that Spaniards worship a differentgod because they say Dios or that the Hebrewsworshipped a different god because they calledHim YahwehThe Quran which is the divine scripture ofMuslims was revealed in the Arabic language soMuslims use the word Allah for God even whenthey are speaking other languages A more literaltranslation of Allah into English might be the oneand-only God or the one true God- 29 -It should be clearly understood that what Islam isprimarily concerned with is correcting humankindsconcept of Almighty God What people areultimately going to be held accountable for at the endof Day of Judgment is not whether they preferred theword Allah or the word God but what theirconcept of Him is The true concept of God isclarified only within the message revealed by HimThe last message sent by God or Allah is the Quran2) The Quran uses the word lsquoWersquo when quotingAllah Does that mean that Muslims believe inmore than one GodIslam adheres to uncompromising monotheism Itteaches that God is One and indivisible In theQuran God often refers to Himself as We But it

does not mean that there is more than one God Thereference of God to Himself as We in manyQuranic verses is necessarily understood in theArabic language to denote power and grandeur asopposed to the more intimate singular form I usedin specific instancesIn some languages there are two types of pluralform One is related to quantity and used to refer totwo or more persons places or things The other kindof plural is one of majesty power and distinction Forexample in proper English the Queen of Englandrefers to herself as lsquowersquo This is known as the lsquoroyal- 30 -pluralrsquo Rajeev Gandhi the ex-Prime Minister ofIndia used to say in Hindi Hum dekhna chahte hainWe want to see lsquoHumrsquo means lsquowersquo which is again aroyal plural in Hindi language Similarly when Godrefers to Himself in the Quran He sometimes usesthe Arabic word nahnu meaning lsquoWersquo It does notindicate a plurality of number but the plurality ofpower and majestyThe oneness of God is stressed throughout theQuran A clear example is in this short chapterSay He is Allah [who is] One Allah is He onWhom all depend He neither begets nor isborn nor is there to Him any equivalent [1121-4]3) The Quran says that Allah is merciful and that

He gives severe punishment So is He forgiving oris He vengefulThe Quran mentions many times that God is theMost Merciful In fact all except one of the 114chapters of the Quran begin with Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem which means I begin with thename of God the Entirely Merciful and theEspecially Merciful These two descriptions of Godare sometimes translated as The Compassionate theMerciful however in Arabic grammar both namesare an intensive form of the word mercifulRahmaan means merciful to all creation and justice is- 31 -part of this mercy Raheem means merciful especiallyto the believers and forgiveness is part of this mercyA complimentary and comprehensive meaning isintended by the use of both of them together Inaddition Allah speaks of His forgiveness throughoutthe Quran In fact Gods mercy and forgivenesshave been mentioned together more than 70 times inthe Quran Allah repeatedly reminds us sayingAnd Allah is Forgiving and MercifulBut He also gives severe punishment to thosewho deserve it Allah told Prophet Muhammad ()Inform My slaves that it is I Who am the

Forgiving the Merciful and that it is Mypunishment which is the [most] painfulpunishment [1549-50]Allah is just and His justice necessitates that Hereward those who obey and serve Him and punishthose who disobey and rebel against Him If Allahdid not punish the sinful wicked and evil peoplewho deserve to be punished it would not be justiceWhen punishment for wrongdoing is certain itserves to deter potential offenders In contrast ifAllah forgave everyone and punished no one therewould be no reason for legislation ethics or evenmorality Life on earth would be chaotic and nothing- 32 -short of anarchy True justice with its true rewardsand just penalties can only be found with Allah andthat is what He has promised in the QuranWe shall place the scales of justice for the Dayof Judgment so no soul will be dealt withunjustly at all And if there is [even] the weightof a mustard seed We will bring it forth Andsufficient are We to take account [2147]Allah forgives all those who repent and correctthemselves at any stage in their lives and He hasinvited all people to His abundant forgiveness andmercySay lsquoO My slaves who have transgressedagainst their souls Despair not of the mercy ofAllah Indeed Allah forgives all sins Indeed itis He who is the Forgiving the Merciful And

return [in repentance] to your Lord and submitto Him before the punishment comes upon youthen you will not be helped And follow thebest of what was revealed to you from your Lordbefore the punishment comes upon yousuddenly while you do not perceive [3953-5]- 33 -4) Some believe that Muslims worshipMuhammad Is this trueMuslims do not worship Muhammad () in anyway They believe that he was the last messenger sentby Allah and like all His other prophets andmessengers he was a human being However somepeople mistakenly assume that Muslims worshipMuhammad and this is one of the reasons thatMuslims were erroneously called MohammedansMuhammad like Jesus never claimed divinestatus He called people to worship Almighty Allahalone and he continually emphasized his humanityIn order to prevent his deification ProphetMuhammad () always said to refer to him asAllahs slave and messenger He () saidlsquoDo not adulate me as the Christians adulatedJesus son of Mary I am Allahs slave andmessengerrsquo (Bukhari)Muhammad was chosen to be Allahs finalmessenger and to communicate His message to usnot only in words but also as a living example of itspractical application Muslims love and respect him

because of his impeccable and upright moralcharacter and because he conveyed the truth fromAllah - which is the pure monotheism of Islam- 34 -Muslims strive to follow the great example ofProphet Muhammad () but do not worship him inany way Islam teaches Muslims to respect all ofAllahs prophets and messengers Howeverrespecting and loving them does not meanworshipping them Muslims know that all worshipand prayer must be directed to Allah aloneIn fact the worship of Muhammad - or anyoneelse ndash along with or instead of Almighty Allah isconsidered an unpardonable sin in Islam Even if aperson claims to be Muslim but worships or prays toanything other than God it invalidates ones claim toIslam The Declaration of Faith makes it clear thatMuslims must worship Allah alone5) Is Islam fatalisticMost Muslims find it rather odd that theirreligion which strikes a remarkable balance betweenfaith and deeds are sometimes accused of beingfatalistic Perhaps this misconception came aboutbecause Muslims are known to say All praise is due toAllah whenever anything good or bad happens Thisis because Muslims know that everything comesfrom God the Creator of the universe and occurs by

His will Thus a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always- 35 -for the best whether one recognizes it or not so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changedThis does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life On thecontrary Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation To be more preciseaction is a required part of ones faith If humanbeings did not have the ability to act it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things Far from being fatalistic Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to GodIslam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate Someeven say that if Allah had willed they would nothave sinned or committed crimes All of thesearguments are completely erroneous because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibited

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

with additional details and clarification of meaningsThis record contains the prophetic traditions referredto as the Sunnah Scholars have carefully andpainstakingly scrutinized the reliability of thetransmitters of these traditions and only thosewhose narrators are found to be completely reliableand sound are acceptedBelief in the Last DayMuslims believe that the life of this world willcome to an end Allah saysWhatsoever is on it (ie the earth) will perish[5526]The Day of Resurrection is the day when eachindividual will stand before Allah and be questionedabout their deeds The compensation for evil in theHereafter is exact justice while the compensation forgood is much greater - comprehensive multiplerewards and complete satisfaction and happiness- 11 -People will be judged according to their degree ofrighteousness and nothing else Allah saysWhoever brings a good deed shall have tentimes the like thereof to his (or her) credit andwhoever brings an evil deed shall have only therecompense of the like thereof [6160]A person is rewarded for merely intending to dogood even if they do not follow up that intentionwith action Prophet Muhammad () mentioned that

Allah saidldquoWhoever intends to perform a good deed butdoes not do it Allah records it for him as onegood deed If one intends to do a good deed anddoes it Allah records for him the like thereoften times up to seven hundred times to manytimes If one intends to do an evil deed butdoes not do it Allah records it for him as onegood deed If one intends to do an evil deed anddoes it Allah records it only as one evil deedrdquo[Bukhari]- 12 -Belief in PredestinationMuslims believe in predestination whether goodor bad which Allah has measured and ordained forall creatures according to His previous knowledgeand as deemed suitable by His wisdom Allah theAll-Knowing knows everything that happened inthe past everything that is happening now and allthat will happen in the future Humankind has beengiven free will and the choice of whether or not tofollow what Allah ordained He has been given amind with which he is able to reason and choosewisely- 13 -The Requirements of IslamThe five pillars of Islam make up the frameworkof a Muslims life they are1 The Shahadah or Declaration of FaithTo be a Muslim one must believe in andpronounce words that mean There is no deity worthy

of being worshipped except Allah and Muhammad is Hisslave and messenger3 This declaration testifies thatAllah exists that He is unlike and superior to Hiscreation and that none is worthy of worship butHim It also testifies that He is the Creator andProprietor of all that exists and Disposer of all affairsAllah says in the QuranNo doubt Verily to Allah belongs whosoeveris in the heavens and whosoever is in the earthAnd those that worship and invoke othersbesides Allah in fact follow not theseassociated-gods they follow only a conjectureand they invent only lies [1066]3 The Arabic wording is Laa ilaahah illal-laah Muhammad RasoolAllah- 14 -The Shahadah testifies that Muhammad is amongthe prophets who conveyed Allahs revelation tohumankind Allah saysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad ())except to all of humankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]In fact it is stated in the Quran that Muhammad() is the last of Allahs messengers Allah saysMuhammad is not the father of any manamong you but he is the Messenger of Allahand the last of the Prophets [3340]The Quran also confirms that Muhammadsteachings are infallible and conveyed from Allah

Allah saysNor does he speak of (his own) desire It is onlyan Inspiration that is inspired [533-4]Thus the Quran and Sunnah of the finalprophet are the basis of the religion and they defineevery aspect of the Islamic way of life- 15 -2 The Salah or Formal Obligatory PrayerPrayer was practiced in some form throughouthistory by all prophets and their followers as anindispensable part of Allahs religion Islam the finalmessage to humanity considers prayer essential AMuslim is required to pray five times daily withinspecified intervals as taught by the Prophet ()These prayers are obligatory and form a direct bondbetween the worshipper and his Creator Islam doesnot call upon Muslims to merely perform this act ofworship rather it wants of them to purify theirsouls Allah () says regarding PrayerIndeed the prayer prevents [you] fromlicentiousness and [other] sins [2945]3 Zakah or Obligatory Annual CharityThe word Zakah means purification andgrowth An important principle of Islam is that allthings belong to Allah Muslims are enjoined to earnand spend their wealth in ways that are acceptable toAllah The divinely ordained system of Zakah is the

right of Allah within His dominion It is neither acharity nor a tax but an obligation due fromMuslims who possess wealth in excess of their basicneeds Thus the difference between Zakah and tax isthat a Muslim pays Zakah willfully and on their ownaccord they are the ones who supervise its payment- 16 -Zakah is only due when a person has the minimumrequired amount which varies with the type ofwealthZakah cleanses a Muslim of greed selfishnessbase covetousness and the love of this temporalworld Allah () saysAnd whosoever is saved from his owncovetousness such are they who will be thesuccessful [599]It is the ideal way to meet the needs of the poorersections of society without causing hardship to thewealthy4 Siyam or FastingAllah has enjoined fasting upon the Muslims asHe enjoined it upon previous nations He theExalted saysO you who believe Fasting has beenprescribed for you as it was prescribed for thosebefore you that you may become the pious[2183]Islamic fasting which involves abstinence fromeating drinking sexual intercourse and allprohibited habits such as smoking is observed

throughout the daylight hours of the lunar month of- 17 -Ramadhan When done in obedience to Godscommand fasting teaches believers patience andself-control as well as reminding them of theirresponsibility toward the millions of human beingswho lack provisions or are victims of their unjustdistribution The month of fasting is accompanied byincreased efforts toward good manners andrighteous deeds along with additional worship atnight Fasting is not a retreat from life rather it is asupplement to the Muslims ordinary activities5 Hajj or PilgrimageHajj the annual pilgrimage to Makkah (in SaudiArabia) is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for thosewho are physically and financially able to perform itAllah saysPilgrimage to the House (ie the Kabah) isincumbent upon men for the sake of Allah(upon) everyone who is able to undertake thejourney to it [397]Nevertheless millions of Muslims journey toMakkah each year from every corner of the globeproviding a unique opportunity for people ofvarious nations to meet one another as guests ofAllah Hajj is an expression of pure faith and totalsubmission to His command and the pilgrim- 18 -performs rites of unqualified obedience seekingnothing but the acceptance of their efforts and

forgiveness of their past sins A person who hascompleted the Hajj returns with a fresh outlook onlife a purified soul and blessings from Allah- 19 -Muhammad the Messenger of Allah ()IntroductionIt all began in the year 610 CE4 with a fewbrave individuals differing in tribe status andgender secretly winding through the alleys ofMakkah to meet the man known as Al-Ameen (iethe trustworthy) One by one they went likestealthy shadows in the moonlight hoping not tobe noticed and reported to powerful city leadersThey were prepared to sacrifice it all ndash theircultures families even their own lives ndash for thesake of worshipping One True GodAl-Ameen had called them to cast aside the paganreligion of their forefathers and to embrace puremonotheism The 40-year-old man whose namewas Muhammad () claimed that Allah saw allpeople men and women free and enslaved asequal A message which would in two shortdecades bring peace to the war-torn ArabianPeninsula and beyond a message forbidding tribalfeudalism and corruption by any leader a messagethat came to be known as ldquoIslamrdquo calling fordevotion and submission to God alone4 Common Era or Christian Era in preference to AD (AnnoDomini) meaning lsquothe year of the Lordrsquo- 20 -Who was heMuhammad () was a man of noble descent Hewas a paradigm of excellent manners Allah the

Exalted praised him sayingAnd verily you (O Muhammad ) are on anexalted (standard of) character [684]His enemies attested to his excellent mannersAbu Jahl who was one of the harshest enemies ofIslam said lsquoO Muhammad I do not say that youare a liar I only deny what you brought and whatyou call people torsquoSome of his Companions described his mannerssayinglsquoHe was never rough He never raised his voicein public or used foul language He did notrepay evil with evil rather he forgave andpardoned He did not raise his hand to hit aservant or woman He would not becomeangry if he was wronged nor would he avengehimself He only became angry when peopletransgressed the limits and boundaries ofAllah in that case he avenged The Prophet ()was not given a choice between two mattersexcept that he chose the easier of the two aslong as it was not a sinful act If that act was asinful act he would be the farthest from it- 21 -When he entered his home he was a normalindividual he would clean his clothes milkhis sheep and serve himselfThomas Carlyle the famous Scottish writerattested to this He said in his book lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in HistoryrsquoBut from an early age he had been remarkedas a thoughtful man His companions namedhim Al Amin The Faithful A man of truth andfidelity true in what he did in what he spoke

and thought They noted that he always meantsomething A man rather taciturn in speechsilent when there was nothing to be said butpertinent wise sincere when he did speakalways throwing light on the matter This is theonly sort of speech worth speaking Throughlife we find him to have been regarded as analtogether solid brotherly genuine man Aserious sincere character yet amiable cordialcompanionable jocose even - a good laugh inhim withal there are men whose laugh is asuntrue as anything about them who cannotlaugh A spontaneous passionate yet just truemeaningman Full of wild faculty fire andlight of wild worth all uncultured working outhis life - takes in the depth of the Desert thereThey called him a prophet you say Why hestood there face to face with them here not- 22 -enshrined in any mystery visibly clouting hisown cloak cobbling his own shoes fightingcounseling ordering in the midst of them Theymust have seen what kind of a man he was lethim be called what ye like No emperor with histiaras was obeyed as this man in a cloak of hisown clouting During three and twenty years ofrough actual trial I find something of averitable hero necessary for that of itselfIf we say the physical appearance of a personinfluences their personality as do sociologists theProphet () was the most beautiful of people as hiscompanions who saw him informed us TheProphet () was of a slightly above-average height

Amazingly in gatherings he would appear tallerthan those actually taller than him - until thepeople dispersed In complexion he was whitewith a rosy tinge pale but not excessively so Hishair was jet black and wavy but stopped short ofcurling and was kept between his earlobes andshoulders Sometimes he would part his hair at themiddle Other times he would wear it braided TheProphet () had the physique of a powerful manHe had a broad upper-back and shouldersbetween which was the Seal of Prophet-hood Hehad long muscular limbs large joints and a widegirth His lean stomach never protruded out pastthe profile of his chest His face was radiant ldquoas ifthe sun were following its course across and- 23 -shining from his facerdquo His shoulders were broadhe was of medium height neither too tall nor shortHe was pleasant looking and majestic people werefull of awe when they saw him for the first timeand knew that his face was not one of a liarPropheciesProphet Jesus () foretold the coming ofanother Prophet whose name would belsquoPeriqlytosrsquo or lsquoParacletersquo or lsquoParacalonrsquo and who(that is whose teaching) would last forever lsquoI willpray the Father and He shall give you anotherComforter (Periqlytos) that he may abide withyou foreverrsquo [John 14 16]The word periqlytos means lsquoillustriouslsquorenownedrsquo and lsquopraiseworthyrsquo and this is exactlywhat the name lsquoAhmedrsquo means It is confirmed inthe Qurrsquoan that the Prophet Jesus did prophesize

that a Prophet named lsquoAhmedrsquo would come afterhimAllah the Exalted saysAnd remember when Jesus the son of Marysaid ldquoO Children of Israel I am the Messengerof Allah unto you confirming the Torah whichcame before me and giving glad tidings of a- 24 -Messenger to come after me whose name shallbe Ahmed [616]The Jews sent priests to John the Baptist tofind out who he was lsquoHe confessed ldquoI am not theChristrdquo And they asked him lsquorsquoWhat then Are youElijahrdquo And He said ldquoI am notrdquo lsquorsquoAre you thatProphetrdquo They insisted And he answered ldquoNordquohellipAnd then they said to him ldquoWhy do you baptizethen if you are not the Christ nor Elijah nor thatProphetrdquo (John 120-25)That Prophet is not Jesus but Muhammad ()because John the Baptist continued preaching andbaptizing and foretelling the coming of that Prophetduring the life-time of JesusWhat they said about Muhammad ()Alphonse de Lamartine said lsquoNever has a manset for himself voluntarily or involuntarily a moresublime aim since this aim was superhuman tosubvert superstitions which had been imposedbetween man and his Creator to render God untoman and man unto God to restore the rational andsacred idea of divinity amidst the chaos of thematerial and disfigured gods of idolatry thenexisting Never has a man undertaken a work sofar beyond human power with so feeble means for

- 25 -he (Muhammad) had in the conception as well asin the execution of such a great design no otherinstrument than himself and no other aid except ahandful of men living in a corner of the desertFinally never has a man accomplished such a hugeand lasting revolution in the world because in lessthan two centuries after its appearance Islam infaith and in arms reigned over the whole ofArabia and conquered in Gods name PersiaKhorasan Transoxania Western India SyriaEgypt Abyssinia all the known continent ofNorthern Africa numerous islands of theMediterranean Sea Spain and part of Gaul Ifgreatness of purpose smallness of means andastonishing results are the three criteria of a humangenius who could dare compare any great man inhistory with Muhammadrdquorsquo5George Bernard Shaw said lsquoI have always heldthe religion of Muhammad in high estimationbecause of its wonderful vitality It is the onlyreligion which appears to possess that assimilatingcapability to the changing phases of existencewhich make itself appeal to every age - I haveprophesized about the faith of Muhammad that itwould be acceptable tomorrow as it is beginning to5 Alphonse de LaMartaine in Histoire de la Turquie Paris1854- 26 -be acceptable to the Europe of today Medievalecclesiastics either through ignorance or bigotrypainted Mohammedanism in the darkest colors

They were in fact trained to hate both the manMuhammad and his religion To them Muhammadwas an anti-Christ I have studied him thewonderful man and in my opinion far from beingan anti-Christ he must be called the Savior ofhumanity - rsquo6The German Poet Wolfgang Goumlthe7 said lsquoIlooked into history for a human paradigm andfound it to be in Muhammad ()rsquo6 The Genuine Islam Vol 1 No 8 19367 A German writer and scientist Master of poetry dramaand the novel he also conducted scientific research invarious fields notably botany and held severalgovernmental positions- 27 -QUESTIONS AND ANSWERSCreedal Issues1) Who is Allah Do Muslims worship a differentGodSome people believe that Muslims worship a Godthat is different from the one worshipped byChristians and Jews This might be due to the factthat Muslims often refer to God as Allah Thisconcept is false since Allah is simply the Arabicword for the One true God Who created theuniverse and all humanity Let there be no doubt -Muslims worship the God of Noah AbrahamMoses David and Jesus () However it is certainlytrue that Jews Christians and Muslims all havedifferent concepts of Almighty God For exampleMuslims - like Jews - reject the Christian beliefs ofthe Trinity and the Divine Incarnation This

however does not mean that each of these threereligions worships a different God - because as wehave already said there is only One TrueGod Judaism Christianity and Islam all claim to beldquoAbrahamic Faithsrdquo and all of them are alsoclassified as ldquomonotheisticrdquo However Islam teachesthat other religions have in one way or anotherdistorted and nullified a pure and proper belief inAlmighty God by neglecting His true teachings and- 28 -mixing them with man-made ideas Islam calls uponpeople to return to the one true God and to worshipand obey Him alone Islam teaches that God shouldbe approached without intermediaries That isbecause the merciful all-knowing God is completelyin control of everything that exists and that He canbestow His grace and mercy on His creatures as Hepleases therefore no intercession atonement orincarnation is necessaryArabic speaking people of all religions refer toGod as Allah For example if you pick up anArabic translation of the Christian Bible you will seethe word Allah where God is used in EnglishTherefore Allah is not the god of only the Muslimsbut the same God worshipped by all monotheisticfaiths This idea that Allah is different from Godis illogical since it is tantamount to saying that theFrench worship a different god because they use

the word Dieu that Spaniards worship a differentgod because they say Dios or that the Hebrewsworshipped a different god because they calledHim YahwehThe Quran which is the divine scripture ofMuslims was revealed in the Arabic language soMuslims use the word Allah for God even whenthey are speaking other languages A more literaltranslation of Allah into English might be the oneand-only God or the one true God- 29 -It should be clearly understood that what Islam isprimarily concerned with is correcting humankindsconcept of Almighty God What people areultimately going to be held accountable for at the endof Day of Judgment is not whether they preferred theword Allah or the word God but what theirconcept of Him is The true concept of God isclarified only within the message revealed by HimThe last message sent by God or Allah is the Quran2) The Quran uses the word lsquoWersquo when quotingAllah Does that mean that Muslims believe inmore than one GodIslam adheres to uncompromising monotheism Itteaches that God is One and indivisible In theQuran God often refers to Himself as We But it

does not mean that there is more than one God Thereference of God to Himself as We in manyQuranic verses is necessarily understood in theArabic language to denote power and grandeur asopposed to the more intimate singular form I usedin specific instancesIn some languages there are two types of pluralform One is related to quantity and used to refer totwo or more persons places or things The other kindof plural is one of majesty power and distinction Forexample in proper English the Queen of Englandrefers to herself as lsquowersquo This is known as the lsquoroyal- 30 -pluralrsquo Rajeev Gandhi the ex-Prime Minister ofIndia used to say in Hindi Hum dekhna chahte hainWe want to see lsquoHumrsquo means lsquowersquo which is again aroyal plural in Hindi language Similarly when Godrefers to Himself in the Quran He sometimes usesthe Arabic word nahnu meaning lsquoWersquo It does notindicate a plurality of number but the plurality ofpower and majestyThe oneness of God is stressed throughout theQuran A clear example is in this short chapterSay He is Allah [who is] One Allah is He onWhom all depend He neither begets nor isborn nor is there to Him any equivalent [1121-4]3) The Quran says that Allah is merciful and that

He gives severe punishment So is He forgiving oris He vengefulThe Quran mentions many times that God is theMost Merciful In fact all except one of the 114chapters of the Quran begin with Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem which means I begin with thename of God the Entirely Merciful and theEspecially Merciful These two descriptions of Godare sometimes translated as The Compassionate theMerciful however in Arabic grammar both namesare an intensive form of the word mercifulRahmaan means merciful to all creation and justice is- 31 -part of this mercy Raheem means merciful especiallyto the believers and forgiveness is part of this mercyA complimentary and comprehensive meaning isintended by the use of both of them together Inaddition Allah speaks of His forgiveness throughoutthe Quran In fact Gods mercy and forgivenesshave been mentioned together more than 70 times inthe Quran Allah repeatedly reminds us sayingAnd Allah is Forgiving and MercifulBut He also gives severe punishment to thosewho deserve it Allah told Prophet Muhammad ()Inform My slaves that it is I Who am the

Forgiving the Merciful and that it is Mypunishment which is the [most] painfulpunishment [1549-50]Allah is just and His justice necessitates that Hereward those who obey and serve Him and punishthose who disobey and rebel against Him If Allahdid not punish the sinful wicked and evil peoplewho deserve to be punished it would not be justiceWhen punishment for wrongdoing is certain itserves to deter potential offenders In contrast ifAllah forgave everyone and punished no one therewould be no reason for legislation ethics or evenmorality Life on earth would be chaotic and nothing- 32 -short of anarchy True justice with its true rewardsand just penalties can only be found with Allah andthat is what He has promised in the QuranWe shall place the scales of justice for the Dayof Judgment so no soul will be dealt withunjustly at all And if there is [even] the weightof a mustard seed We will bring it forth Andsufficient are We to take account [2147]Allah forgives all those who repent and correctthemselves at any stage in their lives and He hasinvited all people to His abundant forgiveness andmercySay lsquoO My slaves who have transgressedagainst their souls Despair not of the mercy ofAllah Indeed Allah forgives all sins Indeed itis He who is the Forgiving the Merciful And

return [in repentance] to your Lord and submitto Him before the punishment comes upon youthen you will not be helped And follow thebest of what was revealed to you from your Lordbefore the punishment comes upon yousuddenly while you do not perceive [3953-5]- 33 -4) Some believe that Muslims worshipMuhammad Is this trueMuslims do not worship Muhammad () in anyway They believe that he was the last messenger sentby Allah and like all His other prophets andmessengers he was a human being However somepeople mistakenly assume that Muslims worshipMuhammad and this is one of the reasons thatMuslims were erroneously called MohammedansMuhammad like Jesus never claimed divinestatus He called people to worship Almighty Allahalone and he continually emphasized his humanityIn order to prevent his deification ProphetMuhammad () always said to refer to him asAllahs slave and messenger He () saidlsquoDo not adulate me as the Christians adulatedJesus son of Mary I am Allahs slave andmessengerrsquo (Bukhari)Muhammad was chosen to be Allahs finalmessenger and to communicate His message to usnot only in words but also as a living example of itspractical application Muslims love and respect him

because of his impeccable and upright moralcharacter and because he conveyed the truth fromAllah - which is the pure monotheism of Islam- 34 -Muslims strive to follow the great example ofProphet Muhammad () but do not worship him inany way Islam teaches Muslims to respect all ofAllahs prophets and messengers Howeverrespecting and loving them does not meanworshipping them Muslims know that all worshipand prayer must be directed to Allah aloneIn fact the worship of Muhammad - or anyoneelse ndash along with or instead of Almighty Allah isconsidered an unpardonable sin in Islam Even if aperson claims to be Muslim but worships or prays toanything other than God it invalidates ones claim toIslam The Declaration of Faith makes it clear thatMuslims must worship Allah alone5) Is Islam fatalisticMost Muslims find it rather odd that theirreligion which strikes a remarkable balance betweenfaith and deeds are sometimes accused of beingfatalistic Perhaps this misconception came aboutbecause Muslims are known to say All praise is due toAllah whenever anything good or bad happens Thisis because Muslims know that everything comesfrom God the Creator of the universe and occurs by

His will Thus a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always- 35 -for the best whether one recognizes it or not so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changedThis does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life On thecontrary Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation To be more preciseaction is a required part of ones faith If humanbeings did not have the ability to act it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things Far from being fatalistic Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to GodIslam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate Someeven say that if Allah had willed they would nothave sinned or committed crimes All of thesearguments are completely erroneous because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibited

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

Allah saidldquoWhoever intends to perform a good deed butdoes not do it Allah records it for him as onegood deed If one intends to do a good deed anddoes it Allah records for him the like thereoften times up to seven hundred times to manytimes If one intends to do an evil deed butdoes not do it Allah records it for him as onegood deed If one intends to do an evil deed anddoes it Allah records it only as one evil deedrdquo[Bukhari]- 12 -Belief in PredestinationMuslims believe in predestination whether goodor bad which Allah has measured and ordained forall creatures according to His previous knowledgeand as deemed suitable by His wisdom Allah theAll-Knowing knows everything that happened inthe past everything that is happening now and allthat will happen in the future Humankind has beengiven free will and the choice of whether or not tofollow what Allah ordained He has been given amind with which he is able to reason and choosewisely- 13 -The Requirements of IslamThe five pillars of Islam make up the frameworkof a Muslims life they are1 The Shahadah or Declaration of FaithTo be a Muslim one must believe in andpronounce words that mean There is no deity worthy

of being worshipped except Allah and Muhammad is Hisslave and messenger3 This declaration testifies thatAllah exists that He is unlike and superior to Hiscreation and that none is worthy of worship butHim It also testifies that He is the Creator andProprietor of all that exists and Disposer of all affairsAllah says in the QuranNo doubt Verily to Allah belongs whosoeveris in the heavens and whosoever is in the earthAnd those that worship and invoke othersbesides Allah in fact follow not theseassociated-gods they follow only a conjectureand they invent only lies [1066]3 The Arabic wording is Laa ilaahah illal-laah Muhammad RasoolAllah- 14 -The Shahadah testifies that Muhammad is amongthe prophets who conveyed Allahs revelation tohumankind Allah saysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad ())except to all of humankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]In fact it is stated in the Quran that Muhammad() is the last of Allahs messengers Allah saysMuhammad is not the father of any manamong you but he is the Messenger of Allahand the last of the Prophets [3340]The Quran also confirms that Muhammadsteachings are infallible and conveyed from Allah

Allah saysNor does he speak of (his own) desire It is onlyan Inspiration that is inspired [533-4]Thus the Quran and Sunnah of the finalprophet are the basis of the religion and they defineevery aspect of the Islamic way of life- 15 -2 The Salah or Formal Obligatory PrayerPrayer was practiced in some form throughouthistory by all prophets and their followers as anindispensable part of Allahs religion Islam the finalmessage to humanity considers prayer essential AMuslim is required to pray five times daily withinspecified intervals as taught by the Prophet ()These prayers are obligatory and form a direct bondbetween the worshipper and his Creator Islam doesnot call upon Muslims to merely perform this act ofworship rather it wants of them to purify theirsouls Allah () says regarding PrayerIndeed the prayer prevents [you] fromlicentiousness and [other] sins [2945]3 Zakah or Obligatory Annual CharityThe word Zakah means purification andgrowth An important principle of Islam is that allthings belong to Allah Muslims are enjoined to earnand spend their wealth in ways that are acceptable toAllah The divinely ordained system of Zakah is the

right of Allah within His dominion It is neither acharity nor a tax but an obligation due fromMuslims who possess wealth in excess of their basicneeds Thus the difference between Zakah and tax isthat a Muslim pays Zakah willfully and on their ownaccord they are the ones who supervise its payment- 16 -Zakah is only due when a person has the minimumrequired amount which varies with the type ofwealthZakah cleanses a Muslim of greed selfishnessbase covetousness and the love of this temporalworld Allah () saysAnd whosoever is saved from his owncovetousness such are they who will be thesuccessful [599]It is the ideal way to meet the needs of the poorersections of society without causing hardship to thewealthy4 Siyam or FastingAllah has enjoined fasting upon the Muslims asHe enjoined it upon previous nations He theExalted saysO you who believe Fasting has beenprescribed for you as it was prescribed for thosebefore you that you may become the pious[2183]Islamic fasting which involves abstinence fromeating drinking sexual intercourse and allprohibited habits such as smoking is observed

throughout the daylight hours of the lunar month of- 17 -Ramadhan When done in obedience to Godscommand fasting teaches believers patience andself-control as well as reminding them of theirresponsibility toward the millions of human beingswho lack provisions or are victims of their unjustdistribution The month of fasting is accompanied byincreased efforts toward good manners andrighteous deeds along with additional worship atnight Fasting is not a retreat from life rather it is asupplement to the Muslims ordinary activities5 Hajj or PilgrimageHajj the annual pilgrimage to Makkah (in SaudiArabia) is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for thosewho are physically and financially able to perform itAllah saysPilgrimage to the House (ie the Kabah) isincumbent upon men for the sake of Allah(upon) everyone who is able to undertake thejourney to it [397]Nevertheless millions of Muslims journey toMakkah each year from every corner of the globeproviding a unique opportunity for people ofvarious nations to meet one another as guests ofAllah Hajj is an expression of pure faith and totalsubmission to His command and the pilgrim- 18 -performs rites of unqualified obedience seekingnothing but the acceptance of their efforts and

forgiveness of their past sins A person who hascompleted the Hajj returns with a fresh outlook onlife a purified soul and blessings from Allah- 19 -Muhammad the Messenger of Allah ()IntroductionIt all began in the year 610 CE4 with a fewbrave individuals differing in tribe status andgender secretly winding through the alleys ofMakkah to meet the man known as Al-Ameen (iethe trustworthy) One by one they went likestealthy shadows in the moonlight hoping not tobe noticed and reported to powerful city leadersThey were prepared to sacrifice it all ndash theircultures families even their own lives ndash for thesake of worshipping One True GodAl-Ameen had called them to cast aside the paganreligion of their forefathers and to embrace puremonotheism The 40-year-old man whose namewas Muhammad () claimed that Allah saw allpeople men and women free and enslaved asequal A message which would in two shortdecades bring peace to the war-torn ArabianPeninsula and beyond a message forbidding tribalfeudalism and corruption by any leader a messagethat came to be known as ldquoIslamrdquo calling fordevotion and submission to God alone4 Common Era or Christian Era in preference to AD (AnnoDomini) meaning lsquothe year of the Lordrsquo- 20 -Who was heMuhammad () was a man of noble descent Hewas a paradigm of excellent manners Allah the

Exalted praised him sayingAnd verily you (O Muhammad ) are on anexalted (standard of) character [684]His enemies attested to his excellent mannersAbu Jahl who was one of the harshest enemies ofIslam said lsquoO Muhammad I do not say that youare a liar I only deny what you brought and whatyou call people torsquoSome of his Companions described his mannerssayinglsquoHe was never rough He never raised his voicein public or used foul language He did notrepay evil with evil rather he forgave andpardoned He did not raise his hand to hit aservant or woman He would not becomeangry if he was wronged nor would he avengehimself He only became angry when peopletransgressed the limits and boundaries ofAllah in that case he avenged The Prophet ()was not given a choice between two mattersexcept that he chose the easier of the two aslong as it was not a sinful act If that act was asinful act he would be the farthest from it- 21 -When he entered his home he was a normalindividual he would clean his clothes milkhis sheep and serve himselfThomas Carlyle the famous Scottish writerattested to this He said in his book lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in HistoryrsquoBut from an early age he had been remarkedas a thoughtful man His companions namedhim Al Amin The Faithful A man of truth andfidelity true in what he did in what he spoke

and thought They noted that he always meantsomething A man rather taciturn in speechsilent when there was nothing to be said butpertinent wise sincere when he did speakalways throwing light on the matter This is theonly sort of speech worth speaking Throughlife we find him to have been regarded as analtogether solid brotherly genuine man Aserious sincere character yet amiable cordialcompanionable jocose even - a good laugh inhim withal there are men whose laugh is asuntrue as anything about them who cannotlaugh A spontaneous passionate yet just truemeaningman Full of wild faculty fire andlight of wild worth all uncultured working outhis life - takes in the depth of the Desert thereThey called him a prophet you say Why hestood there face to face with them here not- 22 -enshrined in any mystery visibly clouting hisown cloak cobbling his own shoes fightingcounseling ordering in the midst of them Theymust have seen what kind of a man he was lethim be called what ye like No emperor with histiaras was obeyed as this man in a cloak of hisown clouting During three and twenty years ofrough actual trial I find something of averitable hero necessary for that of itselfIf we say the physical appearance of a personinfluences their personality as do sociologists theProphet () was the most beautiful of people as hiscompanions who saw him informed us TheProphet () was of a slightly above-average height

Amazingly in gatherings he would appear tallerthan those actually taller than him - until thepeople dispersed In complexion he was whitewith a rosy tinge pale but not excessively so Hishair was jet black and wavy but stopped short ofcurling and was kept between his earlobes andshoulders Sometimes he would part his hair at themiddle Other times he would wear it braided TheProphet () had the physique of a powerful manHe had a broad upper-back and shouldersbetween which was the Seal of Prophet-hood Hehad long muscular limbs large joints and a widegirth His lean stomach never protruded out pastthe profile of his chest His face was radiant ldquoas ifthe sun were following its course across and- 23 -shining from his facerdquo His shoulders were broadhe was of medium height neither too tall nor shortHe was pleasant looking and majestic people werefull of awe when they saw him for the first timeand knew that his face was not one of a liarPropheciesProphet Jesus () foretold the coming ofanother Prophet whose name would belsquoPeriqlytosrsquo or lsquoParacletersquo or lsquoParacalonrsquo and who(that is whose teaching) would last forever lsquoI willpray the Father and He shall give you anotherComforter (Periqlytos) that he may abide withyou foreverrsquo [John 14 16]The word periqlytos means lsquoillustriouslsquorenownedrsquo and lsquopraiseworthyrsquo and this is exactlywhat the name lsquoAhmedrsquo means It is confirmed inthe Qurrsquoan that the Prophet Jesus did prophesize

that a Prophet named lsquoAhmedrsquo would come afterhimAllah the Exalted saysAnd remember when Jesus the son of Marysaid ldquoO Children of Israel I am the Messengerof Allah unto you confirming the Torah whichcame before me and giving glad tidings of a- 24 -Messenger to come after me whose name shallbe Ahmed [616]The Jews sent priests to John the Baptist tofind out who he was lsquoHe confessed ldquoI am not theChristrdquo And they asked him lsquorsquoWhat then Are youElijahrdquo And He said ldquoI am notrdquo lsquorsquoAre you thatProphetrdquo They insisted And he answered ldquoNordquohellipAnd then they said to him ldquoWhy do you baptizethen if you are not the Christ nor Elijah nor thatProphetrdquo (John 120-25)That Prophet is not Jesus but Muhammad ()because John the Baptist continued preaching andbaptizing and foretelling the coming of that Prophetduring the life-time of JesusWhat they said about Muhammad ()Alphonse de Lamartine said lsquoNever has a manset for himself voluntarily or involuntarily a moresublime aim since this aim was superhuman tosubvert superstitions which had been imposedbetween man and his Creator to render God untoman and man unto God to restore the rational andsacred idea of divinity amidst the chaos of thematerial and disfigured gods of idolatry thenexisting Never has a man undertaken a work sofar beyond human power with so feeble means for

- 25 -he (Muhammad) had in the conception as well asin the execution of such a great design no otherinstrument than himself and no other aid except ahandful of men living in a corner of the desertFinally never has a man accomplished such a hugeand lasting revolution in the world because in lessthan two centuries after its appearance Islam infaith and in arms reigned over the whole ofArabia and conquered in Gods name PersiaKhorasan Transoxania Western India SyriaEgypt Abyssinia all the known continent ofNorthern Africa numerous islands of theMediterranean Sea Spain and part of Gaul Ifgreatness of purpose smallness of means andastonishing results are the three criteria of a humangenius who could dare compare any great man inhistory with Muhammadrdquorsquo5George Bernard Shaw said lsquoI have always heldthe religion of Muhammad in high estimationbecause of its wonderful vitality It is the onlyreligion which appears to possess that assimilatingcapability to the changing phases of existencewhich make itself appeal to every age - I haveprophesized about the faith of Muhammad that itwould be acceptable tomorrow as it is beginning to5 Alphonse de LaMartaine in Histoire de la Turquie Paris1854- 26 -be acceptable to the Europe of today Medievalecclesiastics either through ignorance or bigotrypainted Mohammedanism in the darkest colors

They were in fact trained to hate both the manMuhammad and his religion To them Muhammadwas an anti-Christ I have studied him thewonderful man and in my opinion far from beingan anti-Christ he must be called the Savior ofhumanity - rsquo6The German Poet Wolfgang Goumlthe7 said lsquoIlooked into history for a human paradigm andfound it to be in Muhammad ()rsquo6 The Genuine Islam Vol 1 No 8 19367 A German writer and scientist Master of poetry dramaand the novel he also conducted scientific research invarious fields notably botany and held severalgovernmental positions- 27 -QUESTIONS AND ANSWERSCreedal Issues1) Who is Allah Do Muslims worship a differentGodSome people believe that Muslims worship a Godthat is different from the one worshipped byChristians and Jews This might be due to the factthat Muslims often refer to God as Allah Thisconcept is false since Allah is simply the Arabicword for the One true God Who created theuniverse and all humanity Let there be no doubt -Muslims worship the God of Noah AbrahamMoses David and Jesus () However it is certainlytrue that Jews Christians and Muslims all havedifferent concepts of Almighty God For exampleMuslims - like Jews - reject the Christian beliefs ofthe Trinity and the Divine Incarnation This

however does not mean that each of these threereligions worships a different God - because as wehave already said there is only One TrueGod Judaism Christianity and Islam all claim to beldquoAbrahamic Faithsrdquo and all of them are alsoclassified as ldquomonotheisticrdquo However Islam teachesthat other religions have in one way or anotherdistorted and nullified a pure and proper belief inAlmighty God by neglecting His true teachings and- 28 -mixing them with man-made ideas Islam calls uponpeople to return to the one true God and to worshipand obey Him alone Islam teaches that God shouldbe approached without intermediaries That isbecause the merciful all-knowing God is completelyin control of everything that exists and that He canbestow His grace and mercy on His creatures as Hepleases therefore no intercession atonement orincarnation is necessaryArabic speaking people of all religions refer toGod as Allah For example if you pick up anArabic translation of the Christian Bible you will seethe word Allah where God is used in EnglishTherefore Allah is not the god of only the Muslimsbut the same God worshipped by all monotheisticfaiths This idea that Allah is different from Godis illogical since it is tantamount to saying that theFrench worship a different god because they use

the word Dieu that Spaniards worship a differentgod because they say Dios or that the Hebrewsworshipped a different god because they calledHim YahwehThe Quran which is the divine scripture ofMuslims was revealed in the Arabic language soMuslims use the word Allah for God even whenthey are speaking other languages A more literaltranslation of Allah into English might be the oneand-only God or the one true God- 29 -It should be clearly understood that what Islam isprimarily concerned with is correcting humankindsconcept of Almighty God What people areultimately going to be held accountable for at the endof Day of Judgment is not whether they preferred theword Allah or the word God but what theirconcept of Him is The true concept of God isclarified only within the message revealed by HimThe last message sent by God or Allah is the Quran2) The Quran uses the word lsquoWersquo when quotingAllah Does that mean that Muslims believe inmore than one GodIslam adheres to uncompromising monotheism Itteaches that God is One and indivisible In theQuran God often refers to Himself as We But it

does not mean that there is more than one God Thereference of God to Himself as We in manyQuranic verses is necessarily understood in theArabic language to denote power and grandeur asopposed to the more intimate singular form I usedin specific instancesIn some languages there are two types of pluralform One is related to quantity and used to refer totwo or more persons places or things The other kindof plural is one of majesty power and distinction Forexample in proper English the Queen of Englandrefers to herself as lsquowersquo This is known as the lsquoroyal- 30 -pluralrsquo Rajeev Gandhi the ex-Prime Minister ofIndia used to say in Hindi Hum dekhna chahte hainWe want to see lsquoHumrsquo means lsquowersquo which is again aroyal plural in Hindi language Similarly when Godrefers to Himself in the Quran He sometimes usesthe Arabic word nahnu meaning lsquoWersquo It does notindicate a plurality of number but the plurality ofpower and majestyThe oneness of God is stressed throughout theQuran A clear example is in this short chapterSay He is Allah [who is] One Allah is He onWhom all depend He neither begets nor isborn nor is there to Him any equivalent [1121-4]3) The Quran says that Allah is merciful and that

He gives severe punishment So is He forgiving oris He vengefulThe Quran mentions many times that God is theMost Merciful In fact all except one of the 114chapters of the Quran begin with Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem which means I begin with thename of God the Entirely Merciful and theEspecially Merciful These two descriptions of Godare sometimes translated as The Compassionate theMerciful however in Arabic grammar both namesare an intensive form of the word mercifulRahmaan means merciful to all creation and justice is- 31 -part of this mercy Raheem means merciful especiallyto the believers and forgiveness is part of this mercyA complimentary and comprehensive meaning isintended by the use of both of them together Inaddition Allah speaks of His forgiveness throughoutthe Quran In fact Gods mercy and forgivenesshave been mentioned together more than 70 times inthe Quran Allah repeatedly reminds us sayingAnd Allah is Forgiving and MercifulBut He also gives severe punishment to thosewho deserve it Allah told Prophet Muhammad ()Inform My slaves that it is I Who am the

Forgiving the Merciful and that it is Mypunishment which is the [most] painfulpunishment [1549-50]Allah is just and His justice necessitates that Hereward those who obey and serve Him and punishthose who disobey and rebel against Him If Allahdid not punish the sinful wicked and evil peoplewho deserve to be punished it would not be justiceWhen punishment for wrongdoing is certain itserves to deter potential offenders In contrast ifAllah forgave everyone and punished no one therewould be no reason for legislation ethics or evenmorality Life on earth would be chaotic and nothing- 32 -short of anarchy True justice with its true rewardsand just penalties can only be found with Allah andthat is what He has promised in the QuranWe shall place the scales of justice for the Dayof Judgment so no soul will be dealt withunjustly at all And if there is [even] the weightof a mustard seed We will bring it forth Andsufficient are We to take account [2147]Allah forgives all those who repent and correctthemselves at any stage in their lives and He hasinvited all people to His abundant forgiveness andmercySay lsquoO My slaves who have transgressedagainst their souls Despair not of the mercy ofAllah Indeed Allah forgives all sins Indeed itis He who is the Forgiving the Merciful And

return [in repentance] to your Lord and submitto Him before the punishment comes upon youthen you will not be helped And follow thebest of what was revealed to you from your Lordbefore the punishment comes upon yousuddenly while you do not perceive [3953-5]- 33 -4) Some believe that Muslims worshipMuhammad Is this trueMuslims do not worship Muhammad () in anyway They believe that he was the last messenger sentby Allah and like all His other prophets andmessengers he was a human being However somepeople mistakenly assume that Muslims worshipMuhammad and this is one of the reasons thatMuslims were erroneously called MohammedansMuhammad like Jesus never claimed divinestatus He called people to worship Almighty Allahalone and he continually emphasized his humanityIn order to prevent his deification ProphetMuhammad () always said to refer to him asAllahs slave and messenger He () saidlsquoDo not adulate me as the Christians adulatedJesus son of Mary I am Allahs slave andmessengerrsquo (Bukhari)Muhammad was chosen to be Allahs finalmessenger and to communicate His message to usnot only in words but also as a living example of itspractical application Muslims love and respect him

because of his impeccable and upright moralcharacter and because he conveyed the truth fromAllah - which is the pure monotheism of Islam- 34 -Muslims strive to follow the great example ofProphet Muhammad () but do not worship him inany way Islam teaches Muslims to respect all ofAllahs prophets and messengers Howeverrespecting and loving them does not meanworshipping them Muslims know that all worshipand prayer must be directed to Allah aloneIn fact the worship of Muhammad - or anyoneelse ndash along with or instead of Almighty Allah isconsidered an unpardonable sin in Islam Even if aperson claims to be Muslim but worships or prays toanything other than God it invalidates ones claim toIslam The Declaration of Faith makes it clear thatMuslims must worship Allah alone5) Is Islam fatalisticMost Muslims find it rather odd that theirreligion which strikes a remarkable balance betweenfaith and deeds are sometimes accused of beingfatalistic Perhaps this misconception came aboutbecause Muslims are known to say All praise is due toAllah whenever anything good or bad happens Thisis because Muslims know that everything comesfrom God the Creator of the universe and occurs by

His will Thus a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always- 35 -for the best whether one recognizes it or not so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changedThis does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life On thecontrary Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation To be more preciseaction is a required part of ones faith If humanbeings did not have the ability to act it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things Far from being fatalistic Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to GodIslam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate Someeven say that if Allah had willed they would nothave sinned or committed crimes All of thesearguments are completely erroneous because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibited

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

of being worshipped except Allah and Muhammad is Hisslave and messenger3 This declaration testifies thatAllah exists that He is unlike and superior to Hiscreation and that none is worthy of worship butHim It also testifies that He is the Creator andProprietor of all that exists and Disposer of all affairsAllah says in the QuranNo doubt Verily to Allah belongs whosoeveris in the heavens and whosoever is in the earthAnd those that worship and invoke othersbesides Allah in fact follow not theseassociated-gods they follow only a conjectureand they invent only lies [1066]3 The Arabic wording is Laa ilaahah illal-laah Muhammad RasoolAllah- 14 -The Shahadah testifies that Muhammad is amongthe prophets who conveyed Allahs revelation tohumankind Allah saysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad ())except to all of humankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]In fact it is stated in the Quran that Muhammad() is the last of Allahs messengers Allah saysMuhammad is not the father of any manamong you but he is the Messenger of Allahand the last of the Prophets [3340]The Quran also confirms that Muhammadsteachings are infallible and conveyed from Allah

Allah saysNor does he speak of (his own) desire It is onlyan Inspiration that is inspired [533-4]Thus the Quran and Sunnah of the finalprophet are the basis of the religion and they defineevery aspect of the Islamic way of life- 15 -2 The Salah or Formal Obligatory PrayerPrayer was practiced in some form throughouthistory by all prophets and their followers as anindispensable part of Allahs religion Islam the finalmessage to humanity considers prayer essential AMuslim is required to pray five times daily withinspecified intervals as taught by the Prophet ()These prayers are obligatory and form a direct bondbetween the worshipper and his Creator Islam doesnot call upon Muslims to merely perform this act ofworship rather it wants of them to purify theirsouls Allah () says regarding PrayerIndeed the prayer prevents [you] fromlicentiousness and [other] sins [2945]3 Zakah or Obligatory Annual CharityThe word Zakah means purification andgrowth An important principle of Islam is that allthings belong to Allah Muslims are enjoined to earnand spend their wealth in ways that are acceptable toAllah The divinely ordained system of Zakah is the

right of Allah within His dominion It is neither acharity nor a tax but an obligation due fromMuslims who possess wealth in excess of their basicneeds Thus the difference between Zakah and tax isthat a Muslim pays Zakah willfully and on their ownaccord they are the ones who supervise its payment- 16 -Zakah is only due when a person has the minimumrequired amount which varies with the type ofwealthZakah cleanses a Muslim of greed selfishnessbase covetousness and the love of this temporalworld Allah () saysAnd whosoever is saved from his owncovetousness such are they who will be thesuccessful [599]It is the ideal way to meet the needs of the poorersections of society without causing hardship to thewealthy4 Siyam or FastingAllah has enjoined fasting upon the Muslims asHe enjoined it upon previous nations He theExalted saysO you who believe Fasting has beenprescribed for you as it was prescribed for thosebefore you that you may become the pious[2183]Islamic fasting which involves abstinence fromeating drinking sexual intercourse and allprohibited habits such as smoking is observed

throughout the daylight hours of the lunar month of- 17 -Ramadhan When done in obedience to Godscommand fasting teaches believers patience andself-control as well as reminding them of theirresponsibility toward the millions of human beingswho lack provisions or are victims of their unjustdistribution The month of fasting is accompanied byincreased efforts toward good manners andrighteous deeds along with additional worship atnight Fasting is not a retreat from life rather it is asupplement to the Muslims ordinary activities5 Hajj or PilgrimageHajj the annual pilgrimage to Makkah (in SaudiArabia) is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for thosewho are physically and financially able to perform itAllah saysPilgrimage to the House (ie the Kabah) isincumbent upon men for the sake of Allah(upon) everyone who is able to undertake thejourney to it [397]Nevertheless millions of Muslims journey toMakkah each year from every corner of the globeproviding a unique opportunity for people ofvarious nations to meet one another as guests ofAllah Hajj is an expression of pure faith and totalsubmission to His command and the pilgrim- 18 -performs rites of unqualified obedience seekingnothing but the acceptance of their efforts and

forgiveness of their past sins A person who hascompleted the Hajj returns with a fresh outlook onlife a purified soul and blessings from Allah- 19 -Muhammad the Messenger of Allah ()IntroductionIt all began in the year 610 CE4 with a fewbrave individuals differing in tribe status andgender secretly winding through the alleys ofMakkah to meet the man known as Al-Ameen (iethe trustworthy) One by one they went likestealthy shadows in the moonlight hoping not tobe noticed and reported to powerful city leadersThey were prepared to sacrifice it all ndash theircultures families even their own lives ndash for thesake of worshipping One True GodAl-Ameen had called them to cast aside the paganreligion of their forefathers and to embrace puremonotheism The 40-year-old man whose namewas Muhammad () claimed that Allah saw allpeople men and women free and enslaved asequal A message which would in two shortdecades bring peace to the war-torn ArabianPeninsula and beyond a message forbidding tribalfeudalism and corruption by any leader a messagethat came to be known as ldquoIslamrdquo calling fordevotion and submission to God alone4 Common Era or Christian Era in preference to AD (AnnoDomini) meaning lsquothe year of the Lordrsquo- 20 -Who was heMuhammad () was a man of noble descent Hewas a paradigm of excellent manners Allah the

Exalted praised him sayingAnd verily you (O Muhammad ) are on anexalted (standard of) character [684]His enemies attested to his excellent mannersAbu Jahl who was one of the harshest enemies ofIslam said lsquoO Muhammad I do not say that youare a liar I only deny what you brought and whatyou call people torsquoSome of his Companions described his mannerssayinglsquoHe was never rough He never raised his voicein public or used foul language He did notrepay evil with evil rather he forgave andpardoned He did not raise his hand to hit aservant or woman He would not becomeangry if he was wronged nor would he avengehimself He only became angry when peopletransgressed the limits and boundaries ofAllah in that case he avenged The Prophet ()was not given a choice between two mattersexcept that he chose the easier of the two aslong as it was not a sinful act If that act was asinful act he would be the farthest from it- 21 -When he entered his home he was a normalindividual he would clean his clothes milkhis sheep and serve himselfThomas Carlyle the famous Scottish writerattested to this He said in his book lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in HistoryrsquoBut from an early age he had been remarkedas a thoughtful man His companions namedhim Al Amin The Faithful A man of truth andfidelity true in what he did in what he spoke

and thought They noted that he always meantsomething A man rather taciturn in speechsilent when there was nothing to be said butpertinent wise sincere when he did speakalways throwing light on the matter This is theonly sort of speech worth speaking Throughlife we find him to have been regarded as analtogether solid brotherly genuine man Aserious sincere character yet amiable cordialcompanionable jocose even - a good laugh inhim withal there are men whose laugh is asuntrue as anything about them who cannotlaugh A spontaneous passionate yet just truemeaningman Full of wild faculty fire andlight of wild worth all uncultured working outhis life - takes in the depth of the Desert thereThey called him a prophet you say Why hestood there face to face with them here not- 22 -enshrined in any mystery visibly clouting hisown cloak cobbling his own shoes fightingcounseling ordering in the midst of them Theymust have seen what kind of a man he was lethim be called what ye like No emperor with histiaras was obeyed as this man in a cloak of hisown clouting During three and twenty years ofrough actual trial I find something of averitable hero necessary for that of itselfIf we say the physical appearance of a personinfluences their personality as do sociologists theProphet () was the most beautiful of people as hiscompanions who saw him informed us TheProphet () was of a slightly above-average height

Amazingly in gatherings he would appear tallerthan those actually taller than him - until thepeople dispersed In complexion he was whitewith a rosy tinge pale but not excessively so Hishair was jet black and wavy but stopped short ofcurling and was kept between his earlobes andshoulders Sometimes he would part his hair at themiddle Other times he would wear it braided TheProphet () had the physique of a powerful manHe had a broad upper-back and shouldersbetween which was the Seal of Prophet-hood Hehad long muscular limbs large joints and a widegirth His lean stomach never protruded out pastthe profile of his chest His face was radiant ldquoas ifthe sun were following its course across and- 23 -shining from his facerdquo His shoulders were broadhe was of medium height neither too tall nor shortHe was pleasant looking and majestic people werefull of awe when they saw him for the first timeand knew that his face was not one of a liarPropheciesProphet Jesus () foretold the coming ofanother Prophet whose name would belsquoPeriqlytosrsquo or lsquoParacletersquo or lsquoParacalonrsquo and who(that is whose teaching) would last forever lsquoI willpray the Father and He shall give you anotherComforter (Periqlytos) that he may abide withyou foreverrsquo [John 14 16]The word periqlytos means lsquoillustriouslsquorenownedrsquo and lsquopraiseworthyrsquo and this is exactlywhat the name lsquoAhmedrsquo means It is confirmed inthe Qurrsquoan that the Prophet Jesus did prophesize

that a Prophet named lsquoAhmedrsquo would come afterhimAllah the Exalted saysAnd remember when Jesus the son of Marysaid ldquoO Children of Israel I am the Messengerof Allah unto you confirming the Torah whichcame before me and giving glad tidings of a- 24 -Messenger to come after me whose name shallbe Ahmed [616]The Jews sent priests to John the Baptist tofind out who he was lsquoHe confessed ldquoI am not theChristrdquo And they asked him lsquorsquoWhat then Are youElijahrdquo And He said ldquoI am notrdquo lsquorsquoAre you thatProphetrdquo They insisted And he answered ldquoNordquohellipAnd then they said to him ldquoWhy do you baptizethen if you are not the Christ nor Elijah nor thatProphetrdquo (John 120-25)That Prophet is not Jesus but Muhammad ()because John the Baptist continued preaching andbaptizing and foretelling the coming of that Prophetduring the life-time of JesusWhat they said about Muhammad ()Alphonse de Lamartine said lsquoNever has a manset for himself voluntarily or involuntarily a moresublime aim since this aim was superhuman tosubvert superstitions which had been imposedbetween man and his Creator to render God untoman and man unto God to restore the rational andsacred idea of divinity amidst the chaos of thematerial and disfigured gods of idolatry thenexisting Never has a man undertaken a work sofar beyond human power with so feeble means for

- 25 -he (Muhammad) had in the conception as well asin the execution of such a great design no otherinstrument than himself and no other aid except ahandful of men living in a corner of the desertFinally never has a man accomplished such a hugeand lasting revolution in the world because in lessthan two centuries after its appearance Islam infaith and in arms reigned over the whole ofArabia and conquered in Gods name PersiaKhorasan Transoxania Western India SyriaEgypt Abyssinia all the known continent ofNorthern Africa numerous islands of theMediterranean Sea Spain and part of Gaul Ifgreatness of purpose smallness of means andastonishing results are the three criteria of a humangenius who could dare compare any great man inhistory with Muhammadrdquorsquo5George Bernard Shaw said lsquoI have always heldthe religion of Muhammad in high estimationbecause of its wonderful vitality It is the onlyreligion which appears to possess that assimilatingcapability to the changing phases of existencewhich make itself appeal to every age - I haveprophesized about the faith of Muhammad that itwould be acceptable tomorrow as it is beginning to5 Alphonse de LaMartaine in Histoire de la Turquie Paris1854- 26 -be acceptable to the Europe of today Medievalecclesiastics either through ignorance or bigotrypainted Mohammedanism in the darkest colors

They were in fact trained to hate both the manMuhammad and his religion To them Muhammadwas an anti-Christ I have studied him thewonderful man and in my opinion far from beingan anti-Christ he must be called the Savior ofhumanity - rsquo6The German Poet Wolfgang Goumlthe7 said lsquoIlooked into history for a human paradigm andfound it to be in Muhammad ()rsquo6 The Genuine Islam Vol 1 No 8 19367 A German writer and scientist Master of poetry dramaand the novel he also conducted scientific research invarious fields notably botany and held severalgovernmental positions- 27 -QUESTIONS AND ANSWERSCreedal Issues1) Who is Allah Do Muslims worship a differentGodSome people believe that Muslims worship a Godthat is different from the one worshipped byChristians and Jews This might be due to the factthat Muslims often refer to God as Allah Thisconcept is false since Allah is simply the Arabicword for the One true God Who created theuniverse and all humanity Let there be no doubt -Muslims worship the God of Noah AbrahamMoses David and Jesus () However it is certainlytrue that Jews Christians and Muslims all havedifferent concepts of Almighty God For exampleMuslims - like Jews - reject the Christian beliefs ofthe Trinity and the Divine Incarnation This

however does not mean that each of these threereligions worships a different God - because as wehave already said there is only One TrueGod Judaism Christianity and Islam all claim to beldquoAbrahamic Faithsrdquo and all of them are alsoclassified as ldquomonotheisticrdquo However Islam teachesthat other religions have in one way or anotherdistorted and nullified a pure and proper belief inAlmighty God by neglecting His true teachings and- 28 -mixing them with man-made ideas Islam calls uponpeople to return to the one true God and to worshipand obey Him alone Islam teaches that God shouldbe approached without intermediaries That isbecause the merciful all-knowing God is completelyin control of everything that exists and that He canbestow His grace and mercy on His creatures as Hepleases therefore no intercession atonement orincarnation is necessaryArabic speaking people of all religions refer toGod as Allah For example if you pick up anArabic translation of the Christian Bible you will seethe word Allah where God is used in EnglishTherefore Allah is not the god of only the Muslimsbut the same God worshipped by all monotheisticfaiths This idea that Allah is different from Godis illogical since it is tantamount to saying that theFrench worship a different god because they use

the word Dieu that Spaniards worship a differentgod because they say Dios or that the Hebrewsworshipped a different god because they calledHim YahwehThe Quran which is the divine scripture ofMuslims was revealed in the Arabic language soMuslims use the word Allah for God even whenthey are speaking other languages A more literaltranslation of Allah into English might be the oneand-only God or the one true God- 29 -It should be clearly understood that what Islam isprimarily concerned with is correcting humankindsconcept of Almighty God What people areultimately going to be held accountable for at the endof Day of Judgment is not whether they preferred theword Allah or the word God but what theirconcept of Him is The true concept of God isclarified only within the message revealed by HimThe last message sent by God or Allah is the Quran2) The Quran uses the word lsquoWersquo when quotingAllah Does that mean that Muslims believe inmore than one GodIslam adheres to uncompromising monotheism Itteaches that God is One and indivisible In theQuran God often refers to Himself as We But it

does not mean that there is more than one God Thereference of God to Himself as We in manyQuranic verses is necessarily understood in theArabic language to denote power and grandeur asopposed to the more intimate singular form I usedin specific instancesIn some languages there are two types of pluralform One is related to quantity and used to refer totwo or more persons places or things The other kindof plural is one of majesty power and distinction Forexample in proper English the Queen of Englandrefers to herself as lsquowersquo This is known as the lsquoroyal- 30 -pluralrsquo Rajeev Gandhi the ex-Prime Minister ofIndia used to say in Hindi Hum dekhna chahte hainWe want to see lsquoHumrsquo means lsquowersquo which is again aroyal plural in Hindi language Similarly when Godrefers to Himself in the Quran He sometimes usesthe Arabic word nahnu meaning lsquoWersquo It does notindicate a plurality of number but the plurality ofpower and majestyThe oneness of God is stressed throughout theQuran A clear example is in this short chapterSay He is Allah [who is] One Allah is He onWhom all depend He neither begets nor isborn nor is there to Him any equivalent [1121-4]3) The Quran says that Allah is merciful and that

He gives severe punishment So is He forgiving oris He vengefulThe Quran mentions many times that God is theMost Merciful In fact all except one of the 114chapters of the Quran begin with Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem which means I begin with thename of God the Entirely Merciful and theEspecially Merciful These two descriptions of Godare sometimes translated as The Compassionate theMerciful however in Arabic grammar both namesare an intensive form of the word mercifulRahmaan means merciful to all creation and justice is- 31 -part of this mercy Raheem means merciful especiallyto the believers and forgiveness is part of this mercyA complimentary and comprehensive meaning isintended by the use of both of them together Inaddition Allah speaks of His forgiveness throughoutthe Quran In fact Gods mercy and forgivenesshave been mentioned together more than 70 times inthe Quran Allah repeatedly reminds us sayingAnd Allah is Forgiving and MercifulBut He also gives severe punishment to thosewho deserve it Allah told Prophet Muhammad ()Inform My slaves that it is I Who am the

Forgiving the Merciful and that it is Mypunishment which is the [most] painfulpunishment [1549-50]Allah is just and His justice necessitates that Hereward those who obey and serve Him and punishthose who disobey and rebel against Him If Allahdid not punish the sinful wicked and evil peoplewho deserve to be punished it would not be justiceWhen punishment for wrongdoing is certain itserves to deter potential offenders In contrast ifAllah forgave everyone and punished no one therewould be no reason for legislation ethics or evenmorality Life on earth would be chaotic and nothing- 32 -short of anarchy True justice with its true rewardsand just penalties can only be found with Allah andthat is what He has promised in the QuranWe shall place the scales of justice for the Dayof Judgment so no soul will be dealt withunjustly at all And if there is [even] the weightof a mustard seed We will bring it forth Andsufficient are We to take account [2147]Allah forgives all those who repent and correctthemselves at any stage in their lives and He hasinvited all people to His abundant forgiveness andmercySay lsquoO My slaves who have transgressedagainst their souls Despair not of the mercy ofAllah Indeed Allah forgives all sins Indeed itis He who is the Forgiving the Merciful And

return [in repentance] to your Lord and submitto Him before the punishment comes upon youthen you will not be helped And follow thebest of what was revealed to you from your Lordbefore the punishment comes upon yousuddenly while you do not perceive [3953-5]- 33 -4) Some believe that Muslims worshipMuhammad Is this trueMuslims do not worship Muhammad () in anyway They believe that he was the last messenger sentby Allah and like all His other prophets andmessengers he was a human being However somepeople mistakenly assume that Muslims worshipMuhammad and this is one of the reasons thatMuslims were erroneously called MohammedansMuhammad like Jesus never claimed divinestatus He called people to worship Almighty Allahalone and he continually emphasized his humanityIn order to prevent his deification ProphetMuhammad () always said to refer to him asAllahs slave and messenger He () saidlsquoDo not adulate me as the Christians adulatedJesus son of Mary I am Allahs slave andmessengerrsquo (Bukhari)Muhammad was chosen to be Allahs finalmessenger and to communicate His message to usnot only in words but also as a living example of itspractical application Muslims love and respect him

because of his impeccable and upright moralcharacter and because he conveyed the truth fromAllah - which is the pure monotheism of Islam- 34 -Muslims strive to follow the great example ofProphet Muhammad () but do not worship him inany way Islam teaches Muslims to respect all ofAllahs prophets and messengers Howeverrespecting and loving them does not meanworshipping them Muslims know that all worshipand prayer must be directed to Allah aloneIn fact the worship of Muhammad - or anyoneelse ndash along with or instead of Almighty Allah isconsidered an unpardonable sin in Islam Even if aperson claims to be Muslim but worships or prays toanything other than God it invalidates ones claim toIslam The Declaration of Faith makes it clear thatMuslims must worship Allah alone5) Is Islam fatalisticMost Muslims find it rather odd that theirreligion which strikes a remarkable balance betweenfaith and deeds are sometimes accused of beingfatalistic Perhaps this misconception came aboutbecause Muslims are known to say All praise is due toAllah whenever anything good or bad happens Thisis because Muslims know that everything comesfrom God the Creator of the universe and occurs by

His will Thus a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always- 35 -for the best whether one recognizes it or not so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changedThis does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life On thecontrary Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation To be more preciseaction is a required part of ones faith If humanbeings did not have the ability to act it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things Far from being fatalistic Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to GodIslam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate Someeven say that if Allah had willed they would nothave sinned or committed crimes All of thesearguments are completely erroneous because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibited

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

Allah saysNor does he speak of (his own) desire It is onlyan Inspiration that is inspired [533-4]Thus the Quran and Sunnah of the finalprophet are the basis of the religion and they defineevery aspect of the Islamic way of life- 15 -2 The Salah or Formal Obligatory PrayerPrayer was practiced in some form throughouthistory by all prophets and their followers as anindispensable part of Allahs religion Islam the finalmessage to humanity considers prayer essential AMuslim is required to pray five times daily withinspecified intervals as taught by the Prophet ()These prayers are obligatory and form a direct bondbetween the worshipper and his Creator Islam doesnot call upon Muslims to merely perform this act ofworship rather it wants of them to purify theirsouls Allah () says regarding PrayerIndeed the prayer prevents [you] fromlicentiousness and [other] sins [2945]3 Zakah or Obligatory Annual CharityThe word Zakah means purification andgrowth An important principle of Islam is that allthings belong to Allah Muslims are enjoined to earnand spend their wealth in ways that are acceptable toAllah The divinely ordained system of Zakah is the

right of Allah within His dominion It is neither acharity nor a tax but an obligation due fromMuslims who possess wealth in excess of their basicneeds Thus the difference between Zakah and tax isthat a Muslim pays Zakah willfully and on their ownaccord they are the ones who supervise its payment- 16 -Zakah is only due when a person has the minimumrequired amount which varies with the type ofwealthZakah cleanses a Muslim of greed selfishnessbase covetousness and the love of this temporalworld Allah () saysAnd whosoever is saved from his owncovetousness such are they who will be thesuccessful [599]It is the ideal way to meet the needs of the poorersections of society without causing hardship to thewealthy4 Siyam or FastingAllah has enjoined fasting upon the Muslims asHe enjoined it upon previous nations He theExalted saysO you who believe Fasting has beenprescribed for you as it was prescribed for thosebefore you that you may become the pious[2183]Islamic fasting which involves abstinence fromeating drinking sexual intercourse and allprohibited habits such as smoking is observed

throughout the daylight hours of the lunar month of- 17 -Ramadhan When done in obedience to Godscommand fasting teaches believers patience andself-control as well as reminding them of theirresponsibility toward the millions of human beingswho lack provisions or are victims of their unjustdistribution The month of fasting is accompanied byincreased efforts toward good manners andrighteous deeds along with additional worship atnight Fasting is not a retreat from life rather it is asupplement to the Muslims ordinary activities5 Hajj or PilgrimageHajj the annual pilgrimage to Makkah (in SaudiArabia) is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for thosewho are physically and financially able to perform itAllah saysPilgrimage to the House (ie the Kabah) isincumbent upon men for the sake of Allah(upon) everyone who is able to undertake thejourney to it [397]Nevertheless millions of Muslims journey toMakkah each year from every corner of the globeproviding a unique opportunity for people ofvarious nations to meet one another as guests ofAllah Hajj is an expression of pure faith and totalsubmission to His command and the pilgrim- 18 -performs rites of unqualified obedience seekingnothing but the acceptance of their efforts and

forgiveness of their past sins A person who hascompleted the Hajj returns with a fresh outlook onlife a purified soul and blessings from Allah- 19 -Muhammad the Messenger of Allah ()IntroductionIt all began in the year 610 CE4 with a fewbrave individuals differing in tribe status andgender secretly winding through the alleys ofMakkah to meet the man known as Al-Ameen (iethe trustworthy) One by one they went likestealthy shadows in the moonlight hoping not tobe noticed and reported to powerful city leadersThey were prepared to sacrifice it all ndash theircultures families even their own lives ndash for thesake of worshipping One True GodAl-Ameen had called them to cast aside the paganreligion of their forefathers and to embrace puremonotheism The 40-year-old man whose namewas Muhammad () claimed that Allah saw allpeople men and women free and enslaved asequal A message which would in two shortdecades bring peace to the war-torn ArabianPeninsula and beyond a message forbidding tribalfeudalism and corruption by any leader a messagethat came to be known as ldquoIslamrdquo calling fordevotion and submission to God alone4 Common Era or Christian Era in preference to AD (AnnoDomini) meaning lsquothe year of the Lordrsquo- 20 -Who was heMuhammad () was a man of noble descent Hewas a paradigm of excellent manners Allah the

Exalted praised him sayingAnd verily you (O Muhammad ) are on anexalted (standard of) character [684]His enemies attested to his excellent mannersAbu Jahl who was one of the harshest enemies ofIslam said lsquoO Muhammad I do not say that youare a liar I only deny what you brought and whatyou call people torsquoSome of his Companions described his mannerssayinglsquoHe was never rough He never raised his voicein public or used foul language He did notrepay evil with evil rather he forgave andpardoned He did not raise his hand to hit aservant or woman He would not becomeangry if he was wronged nor would he avengehimself He only became angry when peopletransgressed the limits and boundaries ofAllah in that case he avenged The Prophet ()was not given a choice between two mattersexcept that he chose the easier of the two aslong as it was not a sinful act If that act was asinful act he would be the farthest from it- 21 -When he entered his home he was a normalindividual he would clean his clothes milkhis sheep and serve himselfThomas Carlyle the famous Scottish writerattested to this He said in his book lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in HistoryrsquoBut from an early age he had been remarkedas a thoughtful man His companions namedhim Al Amin The Faithful A man of truth andfidelity true in what he did in what he spoke

and thought They noted that he always meantsomething A man rather taciturn in speechsilent when there was nothing to be said butpertinent wise sincere when he did speakalways throwing light on the matter This is theonly sort of speech worth speaking Throughlife we find him to have been regarded as analtogether solid brotherly genuine man Aserious sincere character yet amiable cordialcompanionable jocose even - a good laugh inhim withal there are men whose laugh is asuntrue as anything about them who cannotlaugh A spontaneous passionate yet just truemeaningman Full of wild faculty fire andlight of wild worth all uncultured working outhis life - takes in the depth of the Desert thereThey called him a prophet you say Why hestood there face to face with them here not- 22 -enshrined in any mystery visibly clouting hisown cloak cobbling his own shoes fightingcounseling ordering in the midst of them Theymust have seen what kind of a man he was lethim be called what ye like No emperor with histiaras was obeyed as this man in a cloak of hisown clouting During three and twenty years ofrough actual trial I find something of averitable hero necessary for that of itselfIf we say the physical appearance of a personinfluences their personality as do sociologists theProphet () was the most beautiful of people as hiscompanions who saw him informed us TheProphet () was of a slightly above-average height

Amazingly in gatherings he would appear tallerthan those actually taller than him - until thepeople dispersed In complexion he was whitewith a rosy tinge pale but not excessively so Hishair was jet black and wavy but stopped short ofcurling and was kept between his earlobes andshoulders Sometimes he would part his hair at themiddle Other times he would wear it braided TheProphet () had the physique of a powerful manHe had a broad upper-back and shouldersbetween which was the Seal of Prophet-hood Hehad long muscular limbs large joints and a widegirth His lean stomach never protruded out pastthe profile of his chest His face was radiant ldquoas ifthe sun were following its course across and- 23 -shining from his facerdquo His shoulders were broadhe was of medium height neither too tall nor shortHe was pleasant looking and majestic people werefull of awe when they saw him for the first timeand knew that his face was not one of a liarPropheciesProphet Jesus () foretold the coming ofanother Prophet whose name would belsquoPeriqlytosrsquo or lsquoParacletersquo or lsquoParacalonrsquo and who(that is whose teaching) would last forever lsquoI willpray the Father and He shall give you anotherComforter (Periqlytos) that he may abide withyou foreverrsquo [John 14 16]The word periqlytos means lsquoillustriouslsquorenownedrsquo and lsquopraiseworthyrsquo and this is exactlywhat the name lsquoAhmedrsquo means It is confirmed inthe Qurrsquoan that the Prophet Jesus did prophesize

that a Prophet named lsquoAhmedrsquo would come afterhimAllah the Exalted saysAnd remember when Jesus the son of Marysaid ldquoO Children of Israel I am the Messengerof Allah unto you confirming the Torah whichcame before me and giving glad tidings of a- 24 -Messenger to come after me whose name shallbe Ahmed [616]The Jews sent priests to John the Baptist tofind out who he was lsquoHe confessed ldquoI am not theChristrdquo And they asked him lsquorsquoWhat then Are youElijahrdquo And He said ldquoI am notrdquo lsquorsquoAre you thatProphetrdquo They insisted And he answered ldquoNordquohellipAnd then they said to him ldquoWhy do you baptizethen if you are not the Christ nor Elijah nor thatProphetrdquo (John 120-25)That Prophet is not Jesus but Muhammad ()because John the Baptist continued preaching andbaptizing and foretelling the coming of that Prophetduring the life-time of JesusWhat they said about Muhammad ()Alphonse de Lamartine said lsquoNever has a manset for himself voluntarily or involuntarily a moresublime aim since this aim was superhuman tosubvert superstitions which had been imposedbetween man and his Creator to render God untoman and man unto God to restore the rational andsacred idea of divinity amidst the chaos of thematerial and disfigured gods of idolatry thenexisting Never has a man undertaken a work sofar beyond human power with so feeble means for

- 25 -he (Muhammad) had in the conception as well asin the execution of such a great design no otherinstrument than himself and no other aid except ahandful of men living in a corner of the desertFinally never has a man accomplished such a hugeand lasting revolution in the world because in lessthan two centuries after its appearance Islam infaith and in arms reigned over the whole ofArabia and conquered in Gods name PersiaKhorasan Transoxania Western India SyriaEgypt Abyssinia all the known continent ofNorthern Africa numerous islands of theMediterranean Sea Spain and part of Gaul Ifgreatness of purpose smallness of means andastonishing results are the three criteria of a humangenius who could dare compare any great man inhistory with Muhammadrdquorsquo5George Bernard Shaw said lsquoI have always heldthe religion of Muhammad in high estimationbecause of its wonderful vitality It is the onlyreligion which appears to possess that assimilatingcapability to the changing phases of existencewhich make itself appeal to every age - I haveprophesized about the faith of Muhammad that itwould be acceptable tomorrow as it is beginning to5 Alphonse de LaMartaine in Histoire de la Turquie Paris1854- 26 -be acceptable to the Europe of today Medievalecclesiastics either through ignorance or bigotrypainted Mohammedanism in the darkest colors

They were in fact trained to hate both the manMuhammad and his religion To them Muhammadwas an anti-Christ I have studied him thewonderful man and in my opinion far from beingan anti-Christ he must be called the Savior ofhumanity - rsquo6The German Poet Wolfgang Goumlthe7 said lsquoIlooked into history for a human paradigm andfound it to be in Muhammad ()rsquo6 The Genuine Islam Vol 1 No 8 19367 A German writer and scientist Master of poetry dramaand the novel he also conducted scientific research invarious fields notably botany and held severalgovernmental positions- 27 -QUESTIONS AND ANSWERSCreedal Issues1) Who is Allah Do Muslims worship a differentGodSome people believe that Muslims worship a Godthat is different from the one worshipped byChristians and Jews This might be due to the factthat Muslims often refer to God as Allah Thisconcept is false since Allah is simply the Arabicword for the One true God Who created theuniverse and all humanity Let there be no doubt -Muslims worship the God of Noah AbrahamMoses David and Jesus () However it is certainlytrue that Jews Christians and Muslims all havedifferent concepts of Almighty God For exampleMuslims - like Jews - reject the Christian beliefs ofthe Trinity and the Divine Incarnation This

however does not mean that each of these threereligions worships a different God - because as wehave already said there is only One TrueGod Judaism Christianity and Islam all claim to beldquoAbrahamic Faithsrdquo and all of them are alsoclassified as ldquomonotheisticrdquo However Islam teachesthat other religions have in one way or anotherdistorted and nullified a pure and proper belief inAlmighty God by neglecting His true teachings and- 28 -mixing them with man-made ideas Islam calls uponpeople to return to the one true God and to worshipand obey Him alone Islam teaches that God shouldbe approached without intermediaries That isbecause the merciful all-knowing God is completelyin control of everything that exists and that He canbestow His grace and mercy on His creatures as Hepleases therefore no intercession atonement orincarnation is necessaryArabic speaking people of all religions refer toGod as Allah For example if you pick up anArabic translation of the Christian Bible you will seethe word Allah where God is used in EnglishTherefore Allah is not the god of only the Muslimsbut the same God worshipped by all monotheisticfaiths This idea that Allah is different from Godis illogical since it is tantamount to saying that theFrench worship a different god because they use

the word Dieu that Spaniards worship a differentgod because they say Dios or that the Hebrewsworshipped a different god because they calledHim YahwehThe Quran which is the divine scripture ofMuslims was revealed in the Arabic language soMuslims use the word Allah for God even whenthey are speaking other languages A more literaltranslation of Allah into English might be the oneand-only God or the one true God- 29 -It should be clearly understood that what Islam isprimarily concerned with is correcting humankindsconcept of Almighty God What people areultimately going to be held accountable for at the endof Day of Judgment is not whether they preferred theword Allah or the word God but what theirconcept of Him is The true concept of God isclarified only within the message revealed by HimThe last message sent by God or Allah is the Quran2) The Quran uses the word lsquoWersquo when quotingAllah Does that mean that Muslims believe inmore than one GodIslam adheres to uncompromising monotheism Itteaches that God is One and indivisible In theQuran God often refers to Himself as We But it

does not mean that there is more than one God Thereference of God to Himself as We in manyQuranic verses is necessarily understood in theArabic language to denote power and grandeur asopposed to the more intimate singular form I usedin specific instancesIn some languages there are two types of pluralform One is related to quantity and used to refer totwo or more persons places or things The other kindof plural is one of majesty power and distinction Forexample in proper English the Queen of Englandrefers to herself as lsquowersquo This is known as the lsquoroyal- 30 -pluralrsquo Rajeev Gandhi the ex-Prime Minister ofIndia used to say in Hindi Hum dekhna chahte hainWe want to see lsquoHumrsquo means lsquowersquo which is again aroyal plural in Hindi language Similarly when Godrefers to Himself in the Quran He sometimes usesthe Arabic word nahnu meaning lsquoWersquo It does notindicate a plurality of number but the plurality ofpower and majestyThe oneness of God is stressed throughout theQuran A clear example is in this short chapterSay He is Allah [who is] One Allah is He onWhom all depend He neither begets nor isborn nor is there to Him any equivalent [1121-4]3) The Quran says that Allah is merciful and that

He gives severe punishment So is He forgiving oris He vengefulThe Quran mentions many times that God is theMost Merciful In fact all except one of the 114chapters of the Quran begin with Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem which means I begin with thename of God the Entirely Merciful and theEspecially Merciful These two descriptions of Godare sometimes translated as The Compassionate theMerciful however in Arabic grammar both namesare an intensive form of the word mercifulRahmaan means merciful to all creation and justice is- 31 -part of this mercy Raheem means merciful especiallyto the believers and forgiveness is part of this mercyA complimentary and comprehensive meaning isintended by the use of both of them together Inaddition Allah speaks of His forgiveness throughoutthe Quran In fact Gods mercy and forgivenesshave been mentioned together more than 70 times inthe Quran Allah repeatedly reminds us sayingAnd Allah is Forgiving and MercifulBut He also gives severe punishment to thosewho deserve it Allah told Prophet Muhammad ()Inform My slaves that it is I Who am the

Forgiving the Merciful and that it is Mypunishment which is the [most] painfulpunishment [1549-50]Allah is just and His justice necessitates that Hereward those who obey and serve Him and punishthose who disobey and rebel against Him If Allahdid not punish the sinful wicked and evil peoplewho deserve to be punished it would not be justiceWhen punishment for wrongdoing is certain itserves to deter potential offenders In contrast ifAllah forgave everyone and punished no one therewould be no reason for legislation ethics or evenmorality Life on earth would be chaotic and nothing- 32 -short of anarchy True justice with its true rewardsand just penalties can only be found with Allah andthat is what He has promised in the QuranWe shall place the scales of justice for the Dayof Judgment so no soul will be dealt withunjustly at all And if there is [even] the weightof a mustard seed We will bring it forth Andsufficient are We to take account [2147]Allah forgives all those who repent and correctthemselves at any stage in their lives and He hasinvited all people to His abundant forgiveness andmercySay lsquoO My slaves who have transgressedagainst their souls Despair not of the mercy ofAllah Indeed Allah forgives all sins Indeed itis He who is the Forgiving the Merciful And

return [in repentance] to your Lord and submitto Him before the punishment comes upon youthen you will not be helped And follow thebest of what was revealed to you from your Lordbefore the punishment comes upon yousuddenly while you do not perceive [3953-5]- 33 -4) Some believe that Muslims worshipMuhammad Is this trueMuslims do not worship Muhammad () in anyway They believe that he was the last messenger sentby Allah and like all His other prophets andmessengers he was a human being However somepeople mistakenly assume that Muslims worshipMuhammad and this is one of the reasons thatMuslims were erroneously called MohammedansMuhammad like Jesus never claimed divinestatus He called people to worship Almighty Allahalone and he continually emphasized his humanityIn order to prevent his deification ProphetMuhammad () always said to refer to him asAllahs slave and messenger He () saidlsquoDo not adulate me as the Christians adulatedJesus son of Mary I am Allahs slave andmessengerrsquo (Bukhari)Muhammad was chosen to be Allahs finalmessenger and to communicate His message to usnot only in words but also as a living example of itspractical application Muslims love and respect him

because of his impeccable and upright moralcharacter and because he conveyed the truth fromAllah - which is the pure monotheism of Islam- 34 -Muslims strive to follow the great example ofProphet Muhammad () but do not worship him inany way Islam teaches Muslims to respect all ofAllahs prophets and messengers Howeverrespecting and loving them does not meanworshipping them Muslims know that all worshipand prayer must be directed to Allah aloneIn fact the worship of Muhammad - or anyoneelse ndash along with or instead of Almighty Allah isconsidered an unpardonable sin in Islam Even if aperson claims to be Muslim but worships or prays toanything other than God it invalidates ones claim toIslam The Declaration of Faith makes it clear thatMuslims must worship Allah alone5) Is Islam fatalisticMost Muslims find it rather odd that theirreligion which strikes a remarkable balance betweenfaith and deeds are sometimes accused of beingfatalistic Perhaps this misconception came aboutbecause Muslims are known to say All praise is due toAllah whenever anything good or bad happens Thisis because Muslims know that everything comesfrom God the Creator of the universe and occurs by

His will Thus a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always- 35 -for the best whether one recognizes it or not so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changedThis does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life On thecontrary Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation To be more preciseaction is a required part of ones faith If humanbeings did not have the ability to act it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things Far from being fatalistic Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to GodIslam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate Someeven say that if Allah had willed they would nothave sinned or committed crimes All of thesearguments are completely erroneous because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibited

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

right of Allah within His dominion It is neither acharity nor a tax but an obligation due fromMuslims who possess wealth in excess of their basicneeds Thus the difference between Zakah and tax isthat a Muslim pays Zakah willfully and on their ownaccord they are the ones who supervise its payment- 16 -Zakah is only due when a person has the minimumrequired amount which varies with the type ofwealthZakah cleanses a Muslim of greed selfishnessbase covetousness and the love of this temporalworld Allah () saysAnd whosoever is saved from his owncovetousness such are they who will be thesuccessful [599]It is the ideal way to meet the needs of the poorersections of society without causing hardship to thewealthy4 Siyam or FastingAllah has enjoined fasting upon the Muslims asHe enjoined it upon previous nations He theExalted saysO you who believe Fasting has beenprescribed for you as it was prescribed for thosebefore you that you may become the pious[2183]Islamic fasting which involves abstinence fromeating drinking sexual intercourse and allprohibited habits such as smoking is observed

throughout the daylight hours of the lunar month of- 17 -Ramadhan When done in obedience to Godscommand fasting teaches believers patience andself-control as well as reminding them of theirresponsibility toward the millions of human beingswho lack provisions or are victims of their unjustdistribution The month of fasting is accompanied byincreased efforts toward good manners andrighteous deeds along with additional worship atnight Fasting is not a retreat from life rather it is asupplement to the Muslims ordinary activities5 Hajj or PilgrimageHajj the annual pilgrimage to Makkah (in SaudiArabia) is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for thosewho are physically and financially able to perform itAllah saysPilgrimage to the House (ie the Kabah) isincumbent upon men for the sake of Allah(upon) everyone who is able to undertake thejourney to it [397]Nevertheless millions of Muslims journey toMakkah each year from every corner of the globeproviding a unique opportunity for people ofvarious nations to meet one another as guests ofAllah Hajj is an expression of pure faith and totalsubmission to His command and the pilgrim- 18 -performs rites of unqualified obedience seekingnothing but the acceptance of their efforts and

forgiveness of their past sins A person who hascompleted the Hajj returns with a fresh outlook onlife a purified soul and blessings from Allah- 19 -Muhammad the Messenger of Allah ()IntroductionIt all began in the year 610 CE4 with a fewbrave individuals differing in tribe status andgender secretly winding through the alleys ofMakkah to meet the man known as Al-Ameen (iethe trustworthy) One by one they went likestealthy shadows in the moonlight hoping not tobe noticed and reported to powerful city leadersThey were prepared to sacrifice it all ndash theircultures families even their own lives ndash for thesake of worshipping One True GodAl-Ameen had called them to cast aside the paganreligion of their forefathers and to embrace puremonotheism The 40-year-old man whose namewas Muhammad () claimed that Allah saw allpeople men and women free and enslaved asequal A message which would in two shortdecades bring peace to the war-torn ArabianPeninsula and beyond a message forbidding tribalfeudalism and corruption by any leader a messagethat came to be known as ldquoIslamrdquo calling fordevotion and submission to God alone4 Common Era or Christian Era in preference to AD (AnnoDomini) meaning lsquothe year of the Lordrsquo- 20 -Who was heMuhammad () was a man of noble descent Hewas a paradigm of excellent manners Allah the

Exalted praised him sayingAnd verily you (O Muhammad ) are on anexalted (standard of) character [684]His enemies attested to his excellent mannersAbu Jahl who was one of the harshest enemies ofIslam said lsquoO Muhammad I do not say that youare a liar I only deny what you brought and whatyou call people torsquoSome of his Companions described his mannerssayinglsquoHe was never rough He never raised his voicein public or used foul language He did notrepay evil with evil rather he forgave andpardoned He did not raise his hand to hit aservant or woman He would not becomeangry if he was wronged nor would he avengehimself He only became angry when peopletransgressed the limits and boundaries ofAllah in that case he avenged The Prophet ()was not given a choice between two mattersexcept that he chose the easier of the two aslong as it was not a sinful act If that act was asinful act he would be the farthest from it- 21 -When he entered his home he was a normalindividual he would clean his clothes milkhis sheep and serve himselfThomas Carlyle the famous Scottish writerattested to this He said in his book lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in HistoryrsquoBut from an early age he had been remarkedas a thoughtful man His companions namedhim Al Amin The Faithful A man of truth andfidelity true in what he did in what he spoke

and thought They noted that he always meantsomething A man rather taciturn in speechsilent when there was nothing to be said butpertinent wise sincere when he did speakalways throwing light on the matter This is theonly sort of speech worth speaking Throughlife we find him to have been regarded as analtogether solid brotherly genuine man Aserious sincere character yet amiable cordialcompanionable jocose even - a good laugh inhim withal there are men whose laugh is asuntrue as anything about them who cannotlaugh A spontaneous passionate yet just truemeaningman Full of wild faculty fire andlight of wild worth all uncultured working outhis life - takes in the depth of the Desert thereThey called him a prophet you say Why hestood there face to face with them here not- 22 -enshrined in any mystery visibly clouting hisown cloak cobbling his own shoes fightingcounseling ordering in the midst of them Theymust have seen what kind of a man he was lethim be called what ye like No emperor with histiaras was obeyed as this man in a cloak of hisown clouting During three and twenty years ofrough actual trial I find something of averitable hero necessary for that of itselfIf we say the physical appearance of a personinfluences their personality as do sociologists theProphet () was the most beautiful of people as hiscompanions who saw him informed us TheProphet () was of a slightly above-average height

Amazingly in gatherings he would appear tallerthan those actually taller than him - until thepeople dispersed In complexion he was whitewith a rosy tinge pale but not excessively so Hishair was jet black and wavy but stopped short ofcurling and was kept between his earlobes andshoulders Sometimes he would part his hair at themiddle Other times he would wear it braided TheProphet () had the physique of a powerful manHe had a broad upper-back and shouldersbetween which was the Seal of Prophet-hood Hehad long muscular limbs large joints and a widegirth His lean stomach never protruded out pastthe profile of his chest His face was radiant ldquoas ifthe sun were following its course across and- 23 -shining from his facerdquo His shoulders were broadhe was of medium height neither too tall nor shortHe was pleasant looking and majestic people werefull of awe when they saw him for the first timeand knew that his face was not one of a liarPropheciesProphet Jesus () foretold the coming ofanother Prophet whose name would belsquoPeriqlytosrsquo or lsquoParacletersquo or lsquoParacalonrsquo and who(that is whose teaching) would last forever lsquoI willpray the Father and He shall give you anotherComforter (Periqlytos) that he may abide withyou foreverrsquo [John 14 16]The word periqlytos means lsquoillustriouslsquorenownedrsquo and lsquopraiseworthyrsquo and this is exactlywhat the name lsquoAhmedrsquo means It is confirmed inthe Qurrsquoan that the Prophet Jesus did prophesize

that a Prophet named lsquoAhmedrsquo would come afterhimAllah the Exalted saysAnd remember when Jesus the son of Marysaid ldquoO Children of Israel I am the Messengerof Allah unto you confirming the Torah whichcame before me and giving glad tidings of a- 24 -Messenger to come after me whose name shallbe Ahmed [616]The Jews sent priests to John the Baptist tofind out who he was lsquoHe confessed ldquoI am not theChristrdquo And they asked him lsquorsquoWhat then Are youElijahrdquo And He said ldquoI am notrdquo lsquorsquoAre you thatProphetrdquo They insisted And he answered ldquoNordquohellipAnd then they said to him ldquoWhy do you baptizethen if you are not the Christ nor Elijah nor thatProphetrdquo (John 120-25)That Prophet is not Jesus but Muhammad ()because John the Baptist continued preaching andbaptizing and foretelling the coming of that Prophetduring the life-time of JesusWhat they said about Muhammad ()Alphonse de Lamartine said lsquoNever has a manset for himself voluntarily or involuntarily a moresublime aim since this aim was superhuman tosubvert superstitions which had been imposedbetween man and his Creator to render God untoman and man unto God to restore the rational andsacred idea of divinity amidst the chaos of thematerial and disfigured gods of idolatry thenexisting Never has a man undertaken a work sofar beyond human power with so feeble means for

- 25 -he (Muhammad) had in the conception as well asin the execution of such a great design no otherinstrument than himself and no other aid except ahandful of men living in a corner of the desertFinally never has a man accomplished such a hugeand lasting revolution in the world because in lessthan two centuries after its appearance Islam infaith and in arms reigned over the whole ofArabia and conquered in Gods name PersiaKhorasan Transoxania Western India SyriaEgypt Abyssinia all the known continent ofNorthern Africa numerous islands of theMediterranean Sea Spain and part of Gaul Ifgreatness of purpose smallness of means andastonishing results are the three criteria of a humangenius who could dare compare any great man inhistory with Muhammadrdquorsquo5George Bernard Shaw said lsquoI have always heldthe religion of Muhammad in high estimationbecause of its wonderful vitality It is the onlyreligion which appears to possess that assimilatingcapability to the changing phases of existencewhich make itself appeal to every age - I haveprophesized about the faith of Muhammad that itwould be acceptable tomorrow as it is beginning to5 Alphonse de LaMartaine in Histoire de la Turquie Paris1854- 26 -be acceptable to the Europe of today Medievalecclesiastics either through ignorance or bigotrypainted Mohammedanism in the darkest colors

They were in fact trained to hate both the manMuhammad and his religion To them Muhammadwas an anti-Christ I have studied him thewonderful man and in my opinion far from beingan anti-Christ he must be called the Savior ofhumanity - rsquo6The German Poet Wolfgang Goumlthe7 said lsquoIlooked into history for a human paradigm andfound it to be in Muhammad ()rsquo6 The Genuine Islam Vol 1 No 8 19367 A German writer and scientist Master of poetry dramaand the novel he also conducted scientific research invarious fields notably botany and held severalgovernmental positions- 27 -QUESTIONS AND ANSWERSCreedal Issues1) Who is Allah Do Muslims worship a differentGodSome people believe that Muslims worship a Godthat is different from the one worshipped byChristians and Jews This might be due to the factthat Muslims often refer to God as Allah Thisconcept is false since Allah is simply the Arabicword for the One true God Who created theuniverse and all humanity Let there be no doubt -Muslims worship the God of Noah AbrahamMoses David and Jesus () However it is certainlytrue that Jews Christians and Muslims all havedifferent concepts of Almighty God For exampleMuslims - like Jews - reject the Christian beliefs ofthe Trinity and the Divine Incarnation This

however does not mean that each of these threereligions worships a different God - because as wehave already said there is only One TrueGod Judaism Christianity and Islam all claim to beldquoAbrahamic Faithsrdquo and all of them are alsoclassified as ldquomonotheisticrdquo However Islam teachesthat other religions have in one way or anotherdistorted and nullified a pure and proper belief inAlmighty God by neglecting His true teachings and- 28 -mixing them with man-made ideas Islam calls uponpeople to return to the one true God and to worshipand obey Him alone Islam teaches that God shouldbe approached without intermediaries That isbecause the merciful all-knowing God is completelyin control of everything that exists and that He canbestow His grace and mercy on His creatures as Hepleases therefore no intercession atonement orincarnation is necessaryArabic speaking people of all religions refer toGod as Allah For example if you pick up anArabic translation of the Christian Bible you will seethe word Allah where God is used in EnglishTherefore Allah is not the god of only the Muslimsbut the same God worshipped by all monotheisticfaiths This idea that Allah is different from Godis illogical since it is tantamount to saying that theFrench worship a different god because they use

the word Dieu that Spaniards worship a differentgod because they say Dios or that the Hebrewsworshipped a different god because they calledHim YahwehThe Quran which is the divine scripture ofMuslims was revealed in the Arabic language soMuslims use the word Allah for God even whenthey are speaking other languages A more literaltranslation of Allah into English might be the oneand-only God or the one true God- 29 -It should be clearly understood that what Islam isprimarily concerned with is correcting humankindsconcept of Almighty God What people areultimately going to be held accountable for at the endof Day of Judgment is not whether they preferred theword Allah or the word God but what theirconcept of Him is The true concept of God isclarified only within the message revealed by HimThe last message sent by God or Allah is the Quran2) The Quran uses the word lsquoWersquo when quotingAllah Does that mean that Muslims believe inmore than one GodIslam adheres to uncompromising monotheism Itteaches that God is One and indivisible In theQuran God often refers to Himself as We But it

does not mean that there is more than one God Thereference of God to Himself as We in manyQuranic verses is necessarily understood in theArabic language to denote power and grandeur asopposed to the more intimate singular form I usedin specific instancesIn some languages there are two types of pluralform One is related to quantity and used to refer totwo or more persons places or things The other kindof plural is one of majesty power and distinction Forexample in proper English the Queen of Englandrefers to herself as lsquowersquo This is known as the lsquoroyal- 30 -pluralrsquo Rajeev Gandhi the ex-Prime Minister ofIndia used to say in Hindi Hum dekhna chahte hainWe want to see lsquoHumrsquo means lsquowersquo which is again aroyal plural in Hindi language Similarly when Godrefers to Himself in the Quran He sometimes usesthe Arabic word nahnu meaning lsquoWersquo It does notindicate a plurality of number but the plurality ofpower and majestyThe oneness of God is stressed throughout theQuran A clear example is in this short chapterSay He is Allah [who is] One Allah is He onWhom all depend He neither begets nor isborn nor is there to Him any equivalent [1121-4]3) The Quran says that Allah is merciful and that

He gives severe punishment So is He forgiving oris He vengefulThe Quran mentions many times that God is theMost Merciful In fact all except one of the 114chapters of the Quran begin with Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem which means I begin with thename of God the Entirely Merciful and theEspecially Merciful These two descriptions of Godare sometimes translated as The Compassionate theMerciful however in Arabic grammar both namesare an intensive form of the word mercifulRahmaan means merciful to all creation and justice is- 31 -part of this mercy Raheem means merciful especiallyto the believers and forgiveness is part of this mercyA complimentary and comprehensive meaning isintended by the use of both of them together Inaddition Allah speaks of His forgiveness throughoutthe Quran In fact Gods mercy and forgivenesshave been mentioned together more than 70 times inthe Quran Allah repeatedly reminds us sayingAnd Allah is Forgiving and MercifulBut He also gives severe punishment to thosewho deserve it Allah told Prophet Muhammad ()Inform My slaves that it is I Who am the

Forgiving the Merciful and that it is Mypunishment which is the [most] painfulpunishment [1549-50]Allah is just and His justice necessitates that Hereward those who obey and serve Him and punishthose who disobey and rebel against Him If Allahdid not punish the sinful wicked and evil peoplewho deserve to be punished it would not be justiceWhen punishment for wrongdoing is certain itserves to deter potential offenders In contrast ifAllah forgave everyone and punished no one therewould be no reason for legislation ethics or evenmorality Life on earth would be chaotic and nothing- 32 -short of anarchy True justice with its true rewardsand just penalties can only be found with Allah andthat is what He has promised in the QuranWe shall place the scales of justice for the Dayof Judgment so no soul will be dealt withunjustly at all And if there is [even] the weightof a mustard seed We will bring it forth Andsufficient are We to take account [2147]Allah forgives all those who repent and correctthemselves at any stage in their lives and He hasinvited all people to His abundant forgiveness andmercySay lsquoO My slaves who have transgressedagainst their souls Despair not of the mercy ofAllah Indeed Allah forgives all sins Indeed itis He who is the Forgiving the Merciful And

return [in repentance] to your Lord and submitto Him before the punishment comes upon youthen you will not be helped And follow thebest of what was revealed to you from your Lordbefore the punishment comes upon yousuddenly while you do not perceive [3953-5]- 33 -4) Some believe that Muslims worshipMuhammad Is this trueMuslims do not worship Muhammad () in anyway They believe that he was the last messenger sentby Allah and like all His other prophets andmessengers he was a human being However somepeople mistakenly assume that Muslims worshipMuhammad and this is one of the reasons thatMuslims were erroneously called MohammedansMuhammad like Jesus never claimed divinestatus He called people to worship Almighty Allahalone and he continually emphasized his humanityIn order to prevent his deification ProphetMuhammad () always said to refer to him asAllahs slave and messenger He () saidlsquoDo not adulate me as the Christians adulatedJesus son of Mary I am Allahs slave andmessengerrsquo (Bukhari)Muhammad was chosen to be Allahs finalmessenger and to communicate His message to usnot only in words but also as a living example of itspractical application Muslims love and respect him

because of his impeccable and upright moralcharacter and because he conveyed the truth fromAllah - which is the pure monotheism of Islam- 34 -Muslims strive to follow the great example ofProphet Muhammad () but do not worship him inany way Islam teaches Muslims to respect all ofAllahs prophets and messengers Howeverrespecting and loving them does not meanworshipping them Muslims know that all worshipand prayer must be directed to Allah aloneIn fact the worship of Muhammad - or anyoneelse ndash along with or instead of Almighty Allah isconsidered an unpardonable sin in Islam Even if aperson claims to be Muslim but worships or prays toanything other than God it invalidates ones claim toIslam The Declaration of Faith makes it clear thatMuslims must worship Allah alone5) Is Islam fatalisticMost Muslims find it rather odd that theirreligion which strikes a remarkable balance betweenfaith and deeds are sometimes accused of beingfatalistic Perhaps this misconception came aboutbecause Muslims are known to say All praise is due toAllah whenever anything good or bad happens Thisis because Muslims know that everything comesfrom God the Creator of the universe and occurs by

His will Thus a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always- 35 -for the best whether one recognizes it or not so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changedThis does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life On thecontrary Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation To be more preciseaction is a required part of ones faith If humanbeings did not have the ability to act it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things Far from being fatalistic Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to GodIslam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate Someeven say that if Allah had willed they would nothave sinned or committed crimes All of thesearguments are completely erroneous because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibited

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

throughout the daylight hours of the lunar month of- 17 -Ramadhan When done in obedience to Godscommand fasting teaches believers patience andself-control as well as reminding them of theirresponsibility toward the millions of human beingswho lack provisions or are victims of their unjustdistribution The month of fasting is accompanied byincreased efforts toward good manners andrighteous deeds along with additional worship atnight Fasting is not a retreat from life rather it is asupplement to the Muslims ordinary activities5 Hajj or PilgrimageHajj the annual pilgrimage to Makkah (in SaudiArabia) is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for thosewho are physically and financially able to perform itAllah saysPilgrimage to the House (ie the Kabah) isincumbent upon men for the sake of Allah(upon) everyone who is able to undertake thejourney to it [397]Nevertheless millions of Muslims journey toMakkah each year from every corner of the globeproviding a unique opportunity for people ofvarious nations to meet one another as guests ofAllah Hajj is an expression of pure faith and totalsubmission to His command and the pilgrim- 18 -performs rites of unqualified obedience seekingnothing but the acceptance of their efforts and

forgiveness of their past sins A person who hascompleted the Hajj returns with a fresh outlook onlife a purified soul and blessings from Allah- 19 -Muhammad the Messenger of Allah ()IntroductionIt all began in the year 610 CE4 with a fewbrave individuals differing in tribe status andgender secretly winding through the alleys ofMakkah to meet the man known as Al-Ameen (iethe trustworthy) One by one they went likestealthy shadows in the moonlight hoping not tobe noticed and reported to powerful city leadersThey were prepared to sacrifice it all ndash theircultures families even their own lives ndash for thesake of worshipping One True GodAl-Ameen had called them to cast aside the paganreligion of their forefathers and to embrace puremonotheism The 40-year-old man whose namewas Muhammad () claimed that Allah saw allpeople men and women free and enslaved asequal A message which would in two shortdecades bring peace to the war-torn ArabianPeninsula and beyond a message forbidding tribalfeudalism and corruption by any leader a messagethat came to be known as ldquoIslamrdquo calling fordevotion and submission to God alone4 Common Era or Christian Era in preference to AD (AnnoDomini) meaning lsquothe year of the Lordrsquo- 20 -Who was heMuhammad () was a man of noble descent Hewas a paradigm of excellent manners Allah the

Exalted praised him sayingAnd verily you (O Muhammad ) are on anexalted (standard of) character [684]His enemies attested to his excellent mannersAbu Jahl who was one of the harshest enemies ofIslam said lsquoO Muhammad I do not say that youare a liar I only deny what you brought and whatyou call people torsquoSome of his Companions described his mannerssayinglsquoHe was never rough He never raised his voicein public or used foul language He did notrepay evil with evil rather he forgave andpardoned He did not raise his hand to hit aservant or woman He would not becomeangry if he was wronged nor would he avengehimself He only became angry when peopletransgressed the limits and boundaries ofAllah in that case he avenged The Prophet ()was not given a choice between two mattersexcept that he chose the easier of the two aslong as it was not a sinful act If that act was asinful act he would be the farthest from it- 21 -When he entered his home he was a normalindividual he would clean his clothes milkhis sheep and serve himselfThomas Carlyle the famous Scottish writerattested to this He said in his book lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in HistoryrsquoBut from an early age he had been remarkedas a thoughtful man His companions namedhim Al Amin The Faithful A man of truth andfidelity true in what he did in what he spoke

and thought They noted that he always meantsomething A man rather taciturn in speechsilent when there was nothing to be said butpertinent wise sincere when he did speakalways throwing light on the matter This is theonly sort of speech worth speaking Throughlife we find him to have been regarded as analtogether solid brotherly genuine man Aserious sincere character yet amiable cordialcompanionable jocose even - a good laugh inhim withal there are men whose laugh is asuntrue as anything about them who cannotlaugh A spontaneous passionate yet just truemeaningman Full of wild faculty fire andlight of wild worth all uncultured working outhis life - takes in the depth of the Desert thereThey called him a prophet you say Why hestood there face to face with them here not- 22 -enshrined in any mystery visibly clouting hisown cloak cobbling his own shoes fightingcounseling ordering in the midst of them Theymust have seen what kind of a man he was lethim be called what ye like No emperor with histiaras was obeyed as this man in a cloak of hisown clouting During three and twenty years ofrough actual trial I find something of averitable hero necessary for that of itselfIf we say the physical appearance of a personinfluences their personality as do sociologists theProphet () was the most beautiful of people as hiscompanions who saw him informed us TheProphet () was of a slightly above-average height

Amazingly in gatherings he would appear tallerthan those actually taller than him - until thepeople dispersed In complexion he was whitewith a rosy tinge pale but not excessively so Hishair was jet black and wavy but stopped short ofcurling and was kept between his earlobes andshoulders Sometimes he would part his hair at themiddle Other times he would wear it braided TheProphet () had the physique of a powerful manHe had a broad upper-back and shouldersbetween which was the Seal of Prophet-hood Hehad long muscular limbs large joints and a widegirth His lean stomach never protruded out pastthe profile of his chest His face was radiant ldquoas ifthe sun were following its course across and- 23 -shining from his facerdquo His shoulders were broadhe was of medium height neither too tall nor shortHe was pleasant looking and majestic people werefull of awe when they saw him for the first timeand knew that his face was not one of a liarPropheciesProphet Jesus () foretold the coming ofanother Prophet whose name would belsquoPeriqlytosrsquo or lsquoParacletersquo or lsquoParacalonrsquo and who(that is whose teaching) would last forever lsquoI willpray the Father and He shall give you anotherComforter (Periqlytos) that he may abide withyou foreverrsquo [John 14 16]The word periqlytos means lsquoillustriouslsquorenownedrsquo and lsquopraiseworthyrsquo and this is exactlywhat the name lsquoAhmedrsquo means It is confirmed inthe Qurrsquoan that the Prophet Jesus did prophesize

that a Prophet named lsquoAhmedrsquo would come afterhimAllah the Exalted saysAnd remember when Jesus the son of Marysaid ldquoO Children of Israel I am the Messengerof Allah unto you confirming the Torah whichcame before me and giving glad tidings of a- 24 -Messenger to come after me whose name shallbe Ahmed [616]The Jews sent priests to John the Baptist tofind out who he was lsquoHe confessed ldquoI am not theChristrdquo And they asked him lsquorsquoWhat then Are youElijahrdquo And He said ldquoI am notrdquo lsquorsquoAre you thatProphetrdquo They insisted And he answered ldquoNordquohellipAnd then they said to him ldquoWhy do you baptizethen if you are not the Christ nor Elijah nor thatProphetrdquo (John 120-25)That Prophet is not Jesus but Muhammad ()because John the Baptist continued preaching andbaptizing and foretelling the coming of that Prophetduring the life-time of JesusWhat they said about Muhammad ()Alphonse de Lamartine said lsquoNever has a manset for himself voluntarily or involuntarily a moresublime aim since this aim was superhuman tosubvert superstitions which had been imposedbetween man and his Creator to render God untoman and man unto God to restore the rational andsacred idea of divinity amidst the chaos of thematerial and disfigured gods of idolatry thenexisting Never has a man undertaken a work sofar beyond human power with so feeble means for

- 25 -he (Muhammad) had in the conception as well asin the execution of such a great design no otherinstrument than himself and no other aid except ahandful of men living in a corner of the desertFinally never has a man accomplished such a hugeand lasting revolution in the world because in lessthan two centuries after its appearance Islam infaith and in arms reigned over the whole ofArabia and conquered in Gods name PersiaKhorasan Transoxania Western India SyriaEgypt Abyssinia all the known continent ofNorthern Africa numerous islands of theMediterranean Sea Spain and part of Gaul Ifgreatness of purpose smallness of means andastonishing results are the three criteria of a humangenius who could dare compare any great man inhistory with Muhammadrdquorsquo5George Bernard Shaw said lsquoI have always heldthe religion of Muhammad in high estimationbecause of its wonderful vitality It is the onlyreligion which appears to possess that assimilatingcapability to the changing phases of existencewhich make itself appeal to every age - I haveprophesized about the faith of Muhammad that itwould be acceptable tomorrow as it is beginning to5 Alphonse de LaMartaine in Histoire de la Turquie Paris1854- 26 -be acceptable to the Europe of today Medievalecclesiastics either through ignorance or bigotrypainted Mohammedanism in the darkest colors

They were in fact trained to hate both the manMuhammad and his religion To them Muhammadwas an anti-Christ I have studied him thewonderful man and in my opinion far from beingan anti-Christ he must be called the Savior ofhumanity - rsquo6The German Poet Wolfgang Goumlthe7 said lsquoIlooked into history for a human paradigm andfound it to be in Muhammad ()rsquo6 The Genuine Islam Vol 1 No 8 19367 A German writer and scientist Master of poetry dramaand the novel he also conducted scientific research invarious fields notably botany and held severalgovernmental positions- 27 -QUESTIONS AND ANSWERSCreedal Issues1) Who is Allah Do Muslims worship a differentGodSome people believe that Muslims worship a Godthat is different from the one worshipped byChristians and Jews This might be due to the factthat Muslims often refer to God as Allah Thisconcept is false since Allah is simply the Arabicword for the One true God Who created theuniverse and all humanity Let there be no doubt -Muslims worship the God of Noah AbrahamMoses David and Jesus () However it is certainlytrue that Jews Christians and Muslims all havedifferent concepts of Almighty God For exampleMuslims - like Jews - reject the Christian beliefs ofthe Trinity and the Divine Incarnation This

however does not mean that each of these threereligions worships a different God - because as wehave already said there is only One TrueGod Judaism Christianity and Islam all claim to beldquoAbrahamic Faithsrdquo and all of them are alsoclassified as ldquomonotheisticrdquo However Islam teachesthat other religions have in one way or anotherdistorted and nullified a pure and proper belief inAlmighty God by neglecting His true teachings and- 28 -mixing them with man-made ideas Islam calls uponpeople to return to the one true God and to worshipand obey Him alone Islam teaches that God shouldbe approached without intermediaries That isbecause the merciful all-knowing God is completelyin control of everything that exists and that He canbestow His grace and mercy on His creatures as Hepleases therefore no intercession atonement orincarnation is necessaryArabic speaking people of all religions refer toGod as Allah For example if you pick up anArabic translation of the Christian Bible you will seethe word Allah where God is used in EnglishTherefore Allah is not the god of only the Muslimsbut the same God worshipped by all monotheisticfaiths This idea that Allah is different from Godis illogical since it is tantamount to saying that theFrench worship a different god because they use

the word Dieu that Spaniards worship a differentgod because they say Dios or that the Hebrewsworshipped a different god because they calledHim YahwehThe Quran which is the divine scripture ofMuslims was revealed in the Arabic language soMuslims use the word Allah for God even whenthey are speaking other languages A more literaltranslation of Allah into English might be the oneand-only God or the one true God- 29 -It should be clearly understood that what Islam isprimarily concerned with is correcting humankindsconcept of Almighty God What people areultimately going to be held accountable for at the endof Day of Judgment is not whether they preferred theword Allah or the word God but what theirconcept of Him is The true concept of God isclarified only within the message revealed by HimThe last message sent by God or Allah is the Quran2) The Quran uses the word lsquoWersquo when quotingAllah Does that mean that Muslims believe inmore than one GodIslam adheres to uncompromising monotheism Itteaches that God is One and indivisible In theQuran God often refers to Himself as We But it

does not mean that there is more than one God Thereference of God to Himself as We in manyQuranic verses is necessarily understood in theArabic language to denote power and grandeur asopposed to the more intimate singular form I usedin specific instancesIn some languages there are two types of pluralform One is related to quantity and used to refer totwo or more persons places or things The other kindof plural is one of majesty power and distinction Forexample in proper English the Queen of Englandrefers to herself as lsquowersquo This is known as the lsquoroyal- 30 -pluralrsquo Rajeev Gandhi the ex-Prime Minister ofIndia used to say in Hindi Hum dekhna chahte hainWe want to see lsquoHumrsquo means lsquowersquo which is again aroyal plural in Hindi language Similarly when Godrefers to Himself in the Quran He sometimes usesthe Arabic word nahnu meaning lsquoWersquo It does notindicate a plurality of number but the plurality ofpower and majestyThe oneness of God is stressed throughout theQuran A clear example is in this short chapterSay He is Allah [who is] One Allah is He onWhom all depend He neither begets nor isborn nor is there to Him any equivalent [1121-4]3) The Quran says that Allah is merciful and that

He gives severe punishment So is He forgiving oris He vengefulThe Quran mentions many times that God is theMost Merciful In fact all except one of the 114chapters of the Quran begin with Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem which means I begin with thename of God the Entirely Merciful and theEspecially Merciful These two descriptions of Godare sometimes translated as The Compassionate theMerciful however in Arabic grammar both namesare an intensive form of the word mercifulRahmaan means merciful to all creation and justice is- 31 -part of this mercy Raheem means merciful especiallyto the believers and forgiveness is part of this mercyA complimentary and comprehensive meaning isintended by the use of both of them together Inaddition Allah speaks of His forgiveness throughoutthe Quran In fact Gods mercy and forgivenesshave been mentioned together more than 70 times inthe Quran Allah repeatedly reminds us sayingAnd Allah is Forgiving and MercifulBut He also gives severe punishment to thosewho deserve it Allah told Prophet Muhammad ()Inform My slaves that it is I Who am the

Forgiving the Merciful and that it is Mypunishment which is the [most] painfulpunishment [1549-50]Allah is just and His justice necessitates that Hereward those who obey and serve Him and punishthose who disobey and rebel against Him If Allahdid not punish the sinful wicked and evil peoplewho deserve to be punished it would not be justiceWhen punishment for wrongdoing is certain itserves to deter potential offenders In contrast ifAllah forgave everyone and punished no one therewould be no reason for legislation ethics or evenmorality Life on earth would be chaotic and nothing- 32 -short of anarchy True justice with its true rewardsand just penalties can only be found with Allah andthat is what He has promised in the QuranWe shall place the scales of justice for the Dayof Judgment so no soul will be dealt withunjustly at all And if there is [even] the weightof a mustard seed We will bring it forth Andsufficient are We to take account [2147]Allah forgives all those who repent and correctthemselves at any stage in their lives and He hasinvited all people to His abundant forgiveness andmercySay lsquoO My slaves who have transgressedagainst their souls Despair not of the mercy ofAllah Indeed Allah forgives all sins Indeed itis He who is the Forgiving the Merciful And

return [in repentance] to your Lord and submitto Him before the punishment comes upon youthen you will not be helped And follow thebest of what was revealed to you from your Lordbefore the punishment comes upon yousuddenly while you do not perceive [3953-5]- 33 -4) Some believe that Muslims worshipMuhammad Is this trueMuslims do not worship Muhammad () in anyway They believe that he was the last messenger sentby Allah and like all His other prophets andmessengers he was a human being However somepeople mistakenly assume that Muslims worshipMuhammad and this is one of the reasons thatMuslims were erroneously called MohammedansMuhammad like Jesus never claimed divinestatus He called people to worship Almighty Allahalone and he continually emphasized his humanityIn order to prevent his deification ProphetMuhammad () always said to refer to him asAllahs slave and messenger He () saidlsquoDo not adulate me as the Christians adulatedJesus son of Mary I am Allahs slave andmessengerrsquo (Bukhari)Muhammad was chosen to be Allahs finalmessenger and to communicate His message to usnot only in words but also as a living example of itspractical application Muslims love and respect him

because of his impeccable and upright moralcharacter and because he conveyed the truth fromAllah - which is the pure monotheism of Islam- 34 -Muslims strive to follow the great example ofProphet Muhammad () but do not worship him inany way Islam teaches Muslims to respect all ofAllahs prophets and messengers Howeverrespecting and loving them does not meanworshipping them Muslims know that all worshipand prayer must be directed to Allah aloneIn fact the worship of Muhammad - or anyoneelse ndash along with or instead of Almighty Allah isconsidered an unpardonable sin in Islam Even if aperson claims to be Muslim but worships or prays toanything other than God it invalidates ones claim toIslam The Declaration of Faith makes it clear thatMuslims must worship Allah alone5) Is Islam fatalisticMost Muslims find it rather odd that theirreligion which strikes a remarkable balance betweenfaith and deeds are sometimes accused of beingfatalistic Perhaps this misconception came aboutbecause Muslims are known to say All praise is due toAllah whenever anything good or bad happens Thisis because Muslims know that everything comesfrom God the Creator of the universe and occurs by

His will Thus a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always- 35 -for the best whether one recognizes it or not so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changedThis does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life On thecontrary Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation To be more preciseaction is a required part of ones faith If humanbeings did not have the ability to act it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things Far from being fatalistic Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to GodIslam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate Someeven say that if Allah had willed they would nothave sinned or committed crimes All of thesearguments are completely erroneous because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibited

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

forgiveness of their past sins A person who hascompleted the Hajj returns with a fresh outlook onlife a purified soul and blessings from Allah- 19 -Muhammad the Messenger of Allah ()IntroductionIt all began in the year 610 CE4 with a fewbrave individuals differing in tribe status andgender secretly winding through the alleys ofMakkah to meet the man known as Al-Ameen (iethe trustworthy) One by one they went likestealthy shadows in the moonlight hoping not tobe noticed and reported to powerful city leadersThey were prepared to sacrifice it all ndash theircultures families even their own lives ndash for thesake of worshipping One True GodAl-Ameen had called them to cast aside the paganreligion of their forefathers and to embrace puremonotheism The 40-year-old man whose namewas Muhammad () claimed that Allah saw allpeople men and women free and enslaved asequal A message which would in two shortdecades bring peace to the war-torn ArabianPeninsula and beyond a message forbidding tribalfeudalism and corruption by any leader a messagethat came to be known as ldquoIslamrdquo calling fordevotion and submission to God alone4 Common Era or Christian Era in preference to AD (AnnoDomini) meaning lsquothe year of the Lordrsquo- 20 -Who was heMuhammad () was a man of noble descent Hewas a paradigm of excellent manners Allah the

Exalted praised him sayingAnd verily you (O Muhammad ) are on anexalted (standard of) character [684]His enemies attested to his excellent mannersAbu Jahl who was one of the harshest enemies ofIslam said lsquoO Muhammad I do not say that youare a liar I only deny what you brought and whatyou call people torsquoSome of his Companions described his mannerssayinglsquoHe was never rough He never raised his voicein public or used foul language He did notrepay evil with evil rather he forgave andpardoned He did not raise his hand to hit aservant or woman He would not becomeangry if he was wronged nor would he avengehimself He only became angry when peopletransgressed the limits and boundaries ofAllah in that case he avenged The Prophet ()was not given a choice between two mattersexcept that he chose the easier of the two aslong as it was not a sinful act If that act was asinful act he would be the farthest from it- 21 -When he entered his home he was a normalindividual he would clean his clothes milkhis sheep and serve himselfThomas Carlyle the famous Scottish writerattested to this He said in his book lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in HistoryrsquoBut from an early age he had been remarkedas a thoughtful man His companions namedhim Al Amin The Faithful A man of truth andfidelity true in what he did in what he spoke

and thought They noted that he always meantsomething A man rather taciturn in speechsilent when there was nothing to be said butpertinent wise sincere when he did speakalways throwing light on the matter This is theonly sort of speech worth speaking Throughlife we find him to have been regarded as analtogether solid brotherly genuine man Aserious sincere character yet amiable cordialcompanionable jocose even - a good laugh inhim withal there are men whose laugh is asuntrue as anything about them who cannotlaugh A spontaneous passionate yet just truemeaningman Full of wild faculty fire andlight of wild worth all uncultured working outhis life - takes in the depth of the Desert thereThey called him a prophet you say Why hestood there face to face with them here not- 22 -enshrined in any mystery visibly clouting hisown cloak cobbling his own shoes fightingcounseling ordering in the midst of them Theymust have seen what kind of a man he was lethim be called what ye like No emperor with histiaras was obeyed as this man in a cloak of hisown clouting During three and twenty years ofrough actual trial I find something of averitable hero necessary for that of itselfIf we say the physical appearance of a personinfluences their personality as do sociologists theProphet () was the most beautiful of people as hiscompanions who saw him informed us TheProphet () was of a slightly above-average height

Amazingly in gatherings he would appear tallerthan those actually taller than him - until thepeople dispersed In complexion he was whitewith a rosy tinge pale but not excessively so Hishair was jet black and wavy but stopped short ofcurling and was kept between his earlobes andshoulders Sometimes he would part his hair at themiddle Other times he would wear it braided TheProphet () had the physique of a powerful manHe had a broad upper-back and shouldersbetween which was the Seal of Prophet-hood Hehad long muscular limbs large joints and a widegirth His lean stomach never protruded out pastthe profile of his chest His face was radiant ldquoas ifthe sun were following its course across and- 23 -shining from his facerdquo His shoulders were broadhe was of medium height neither too tall nor shortHe was pleasant looking and majestic people werefull of awe when they saw him for the first timeand knew that his face was not one of a liarPropheciesProphet Jesus () foretold the coming ofanother Prophet whose name would belsquoPeriqlytosrsquo or lsquoParacletersquo or lsquoParacalonrsquo and who(that is whose teaching) would last forever lsquoI willpray the Father and He shall give you anotherComforter (Periqlytos) that he may abide withyou foreverrsquo [John 14 16]The word periqlytos means lsquoillustriouslsquorenownedrsquo and lsquopraiseworthyrsquo and this is exactlywhat the name lsquoAhmedrsquo means It is confirmed inthe Qurrsquoan that the Prophet Jesus did prophesize

that a Prophet named lsquoAhmedrsquo would come afterhimAllah the Exalted saysAnd remember when Jesus the son of Marysaid ldquoO Children of Israel I am the Messengerof Allah unto you confirming the Torah whichcame before me and giving glad tidings of a- 24 -Messenger to come after me whose name shallbe Ahmed [616]The Jews sent priests to John the Baptist tofind out who he was lsquoHe confessed ldquoI am not theChristrdquo And they asked him lsquorsquoWhat then Are youElijahrdquo And He said ldquoI am notrdquo lsquorsquoAre you thatProphetrdquo They insisted And he answered ldquoNordquohellipAnd then they said to him ldquoWhy do you baptizethen if you are not the Christ nor Elijah nor thatProphetrdquo (John 120-25)That Prophet is not Jesus but Muhammad ()because John the Baptist continued preaching andbaptizing and foretelling the coming of that Prophetduring the life-time of JesusWhat they said about Muhammad ()Alphonse de Lamartine said lsquoNever has a manset for himself voluntarily or involuntarily a moresublime aim since this aim was superhuman tosubvert superstitions which had been imposedbetween man and his Creator to render God untoman and man unto God to restore the rational andsacred idea of divinity amidst the chaos of thematerial and disfigured gods of idolatry thenexisting Never has a man undertaken a work sofar beyond human power with so feeble means for

- 25 -he (Muhammad) had in the conception as well asin the execution of such a great design no otherinstrument than himself and no other aid except ahandful of men living in a corner of the desertFinally never has a man accomplished such a hugeand lasting revolution in the world because in lessthan two centuries after its appearance Islam infaith and in arms reigned over the whole ofArabia and conquered in Gods name PersiaKhorasan Transoxania Western India SyriaEgypt Abyssinia all the known continent ofNorthern Africa numerous islands of theMediterranean Sea Spain and part of Gaul Ifgreatness of purpose smallness of means andastonishing results are the three criteria of a humangenius who could dare compare any great man inhistory with Muhammadrdquorsquo5George Bernard Shaw said lsquoI have always heldthe religion of Muhammad in high estimationbecause of its wonderful vitality It is the onlyreligion which appears to possess that assimilatingcapability to the changing phases of existencewhich make itself appeal to every age - I haveprophesized about the faith of Muhammad that itwould be acceptable tomorrow as it is beginning to5 Alphonse de LaMartaine in Histoire de la Turquie Paris1854- 26 -be acceptable to the Europe of today Medievalecclesiastics either through ignorance or bigotrypainted Mohammedanism in the darkest colors

They were in fact trained to hate both the manMuhammad and his religion To them Muhammadwas an anti-Christ I have studied him thewonderful man and in my opinion far from beingan anti-Christ he must be called the Savior ofhumanity - rsquo6The German Poet Wolfgang Goumlthe7 said lsquoIlooked into history for a human paradigm andfound it to be in Muhammad ()rsquo6 The Genuine Islam Vol 1 No 8 19367 A German writer and scientist Master of poetry dramaand the novel he also conducted scientific research invarious fields notably botany and held severalgovernmental positions- 27 -QUESTIONS AND ANSWERSCreedal Issues1) Who is Allah Do Muslims worship a differentGodSome people believe that Muslims worship a Godthat is different from the one worshipped byChristians and Jews This might be due to the factthat Muslims often refer to God as Allah Thisconcept is false since Allah is simply the Arabicword for the One true God Who created theuniverse and all humanity Let there be no doubt -Muslims worship the God of Noah AbrahamMoses David and Jesus () However it is certainlytrue that Jews Christians and Muslims all havedifferent concepts of Almighty God For exampleMuslims - like Jews - reject the Christian beliefs ofthe Trinity and the Divine Incarnation This

however does not mean that each of these threereligions worships a different God - because as wehave already said there is only One TrueGod Judaism Christianity and Islam all claim to beldquoAbrahamic Faithsrdquo and all of them are alsoclassified as ldquomonotheisticrdquo However Islam teachesthat other religions have in one way or anotherdistorted and nullified a pure and proper belief inAlmighty God by neglecting His true teachings and- 28 -mixing them with man-made ideas Islam calls uponpeople to return to the one true God and to worshipand obey Him alone Islam teaches that God shouldbe approached without intermediaries That isbecause the merciful all-knowing God is completelyin control of everything that exists and that He canbestow His grace and mercy on His creatures as Hepleases therefore no intercession atonement orincarnation is necessaryArabic speaking people of all religions refer toGod as Allah For example if you pick up anArabic translation of the Christian Bible you will seethe word Allah where God is used in EnglishTherefore Allah is not the god of only the Muslimsbut the same God worshipped by all monotheisticfaiths This idea that Allah is different from Godis illogical since it is tantamount to saying that theFrench worship a different god because they use

the word Dieu that Spaniards worship a differentgod because they say Dios or that the Hebrewsworshipped a different god because they calledHim YahwehThe Quran which is the divine scripture ofMuslims was revealed in the Arabic language soMuslims use the word Allah for God even whenthey are speaking other languages A more literaltranslation of Allah into English might be the oneand-only God or the one true God- 29 -It should be clearly understood that what Islam isprimarily concerned with is correcting humankindsconcept of Almighty God What people areultimately going to be held accountable for at the endof Day of Judgment is not whether they preferred theword Allah or the word God but what theirconcept of Him is The true concept of God isclarified only within the message revealed by HimThe last message sent by God or Allah is the Quran2) The Quran uses the word lsquoWersquo when quotingAllah Does that mean that Muslims believe inmore than one GodIslam adheres to uncompromising monotheism Itteaches that God is One and indivisible In theQuran God often refers to Himself as We But it

does not mean that there is more than one God Thereference of God to Himself as We in manyQuranic verses is necessarily understood in theArabic language to denote power and grandeur asopposed to the more intimate singular form I usedin specific instancesIn some languages there are two types of pluralform One is related to quantity and used to refer totwo or more persons places or things The other kindof plural is one of majesty power and distinction Forexample in proper English the Queen of Englandrefers to herself as lsquowersquo This is known as the lsquoroyal- 30 -pluralrsquo Rajeev Gandhi the ex-Prime Minister ofIndia used to say in Hindi Hum dekhna chahte hainWe want to see lsquoHumrsquo means lsquowersquo which is again aroyal plural in Hindi language Similarly when Godrefers to Himself in the Quran He sometimes usesthe Arabic word nahnu meaning lsquoWersquo It does notindicate a plurality of number but the plurality ofpower and majestyThe oneness of God is stressed throughout theQuran A clear example is in this short chapterSay He is Allah [who is] One Allah is He onWhom all depend He neither begets nor isborn nor is there to Him any equivalent [1121-4]3) The Quran says that Allah is merciful and that

He gives severe punishment So is He forgiving oris He vengefulThe Quran mentions many times that God is theMost Merciful In fact all except one of the 114chapters of the Quran begin with Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem which means I begin with thename of God the Entirely Merciful and theEspecially Merciful These two descriptions of Godare sometimes translated as The Compassionate theMerciful however in Arabic grammar both namesare an intensive form of the word mercifulRahmaan means merciful to all creation and justice is- 31 -part of this mercy Raheem means merciful especiallyto the believers and forgiveness is part of this mercyA complimentary and comprehensive meaning isintended by the use of both of them together Inaddition Allah speaks of His forgiveness throughoutthe Quran In fact Gods mercy and forgivenesshave been mentioned together more than 70 times inthe Quran Allah repeatedly reminds us sayingAnd Allah is Forgiving and MercifulBut He also gives severe punishment to thosewho deserve it Allah told Prophet Muhammad ()Inform My slaves that it is I Who am the

Forgiving the Merciful and that it is Mypunishment which is the [most] painfulpunishment [1549-50]Allah is just and His justice necessitates that Hereward those who obey and serve Him and punishthose who disobey and rebel against Him If Allahdid not punish the sinful wicked and evil peoplewho deserve to be punished it would not be justiceWhen punishment for wrongdoing is certain itserves to deter potential offenders In contrast ifAllah forgave everyone and punished no one therewould be no reason for legislation ethics or evenmorality Life on earth would be chaotic and nothing- 32 -short of anarchy True justice with its true rewardsand just penalties can only be found with Allah andthat is what He has promised in the QuranWe shall place the scales of justice for the Dayof Judgment so no soul will be dealt withunjustly at all And if there is [even] the weightof a mustard seed We will bring it forth Andsufficient are We to take account [2147]Allah forgives all those who repent and correctthemselves at any stage in their lives and He hasinvited all people to His abundant forgiveness andmercySay lsquoO My slaves who have transgressedagainst their souls Despair not of the mercy ofAllah Indeed Allah forgives all sins Indeed itis He who is the Forgiving the Merciful And

return [in repentance] to your Lord and submitto Him before the punishment comes upon youthen you will not be helped And follow thebest of what was revealed to you from your Lordbefore the punishment comes upon yousuddenly while you do not perceive [3953-5]- 33 -4) Some believe that Muslims worshipMuhammad Is this trueMuslims do not worship Muhammad () in anyway They believe that he was the last messenger sentby Allah and like all His other prophets andmessengers he was a human being However somepeople mistakenly assume that Muslims worshipMuhammad and this is one of the reasons thatMuslims were erroneously called MohammedansMuhammad like Jesus never claimed divinestatus He called people to worship Almighty Allahalone and he continually emphasized his humanityIn order to prevent his deification ProphetMuhammad () always said to refer to him asAllahs slave and messenger He () saidlsquoDo not adulate me as the Christians adulatedJesus son of Mary I am Allahs slave andmessengerrsquo (Bukhari)Muhammad was chosen to be Allahs finalmessenger and to communicate His message to usnot only in words but also as a living example of itspractical application Muslims love and respect him

because of his impeccable and upright moralcharacter and because he conveyed the truth fromAllah - which is the pure monotheism of Islam- 34 -Muslims strive to follow the great example ofProphet Muhammad () but do not worship him inany way Islam teaches Muslims to respect all ofAllahs prophets and messengers Howeverrespecting and loving them does not meanworshipping them Muslims know that all worshipand prayer must be directed to Allah aloneIn fact the worship of Muhammad - or anyoneelse ndash along with or instead of Almighty Allah isconsidered an unpardonable sin in Islam Even if aperson claims to be Muslim but worships or prays toanything other than God it invalidates ones claim toIslam The Declaration of Faith makes it clear thatMuslims must worship Allah alone5) Is Islam fatalisticMost Muslims find it rather odd that theirreligion which strikes a remarkable balance betweenfaith and deeds are sometimes accused of beingfatalistic Perhaps this misconception came aboutbecause Muslims are known to say All praise is due toAllah whenever anything good or bad happens Thisis because Muslims know that everything comesfrom God the Creator of the universe and occurs by

His will Thus a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always- 35 -for the best whether one recognizes it or not so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changedThis does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life On thecontrary Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation To be more preciseaction is a required part of ones faith If humanbeings did not have the ability to act it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things Far from being fatalistic Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to GodIslam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate Someeven say that if Allah had willed they would nothave sinned or committed crimes All of thesearguments are completely erroneous because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibited

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

Exalted praised him sayingAnd verily you (O Muhammad ) are on anexalted (standard of) character [684]His enemies attested to his excellent mannersAbu Jahl who was one of the harshest enemies ofIslam said lsquoO Muhammad I do not say that youare a liar I only deny what you brought and whatyou call people torsquoSome of his Companions described his mannerssayinglsquoHe was never rough He never raised his voicein public or used foul language He did notrepay evil with evil rather he forgave andpardoned He did not raise his hand to hit aservant or woman He would not becomeangry if he was wronged nor would he avengehimself He only became angry when peopletransgressed the limits and boundaries ofAllah in that case he avenged The Prophet ()was not given a choice between two mattersexcept that he chose the easier of the two aslong as it was not a sinful act If that act was asinful act he would be the farthest from it- 21 -When he entered his home he was a normalindividual he would clean his clothes milkhis sheep and serve himselfThomas Carlyle the famous Scottish writerattested to this He said in his book lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in HistoryrsquoBut from an early age he had been remarkedas a thoughtful man His companions namedhim Al Amin The Faithful A man of truth andfidelity true in what he did in what he spoke

and thought They noted that he always meantsomething A man rather taciturn in speechsilent when there was nothing to be said butpertinent wise sincere when he did speakalways throwing light on the matter This is theonly sort of speech worth speaking Throughlife we find him to have been regarded as analtogether solid brotherly genuine man Aserious sincere character yet amiable cordialcompanionable jocose even - a good laugh inhim withal there are men whose laugh is asuntrue as anything about them who cannotlaugh A spontaneous passionate yet just truemeaningman Full of wild faculty fire andlight of wild worth all uncultured working outhis life - takes in the depth of the Desert thereThey called him a prophet you say Why hestood there face to face with them here not- 22 -enshrined in any mystery visibly clouting hisown cloak cobbling his own shoes fightingcounseling ordering in the midst of them Theymust have seen what kind of a man he was lethim be called what ye like No emperor with histiaras was obeyed as this man in a cloak of hisown clouting During three and twenty years ofrough actual trial I find something of averitable hero necessary for that of itselfIf we say the physical appearance of a personinfluences their personality as do sociologists theProphet () was the most beautiful of people as hiscompanions who saw him informed us TheProphet () was of a slightly above-average height

Amazingly in gatherings he would appear tallerthan those actually taller than him - until thepeople dispersed In complexion he was whitewith a rosy tinge pale but not excessively so Hishair was jet black and wavy but stopped short ofcurling and was kept between his earlobes andshoulders Sometimes he would part his hair at themiddle Other times he would wear it braided TheProphet () had the physique of a powerful manHe had a broad upper-back and shouldersbetween which was the Seal of Prophet-hood Hehad long muscular limbs large joints and a widegirth His lean stomach never protruded out pastthe profile of his chest His face was radiant ldquoas ifthe sun were following its course across and- 23 -shining from his facerdquo His shoulders were broadhe was of medium height neither too tall nor shortHe was pleasant looking and majestic people werefull of awe when they saw him for the first timeand knew that his face was not one of a liarPropheciesProphet Jesus () foretold the coming ofanother Prophet whose name would belsquoPeriqlytosrsquo or lsquoParacletersquo or lsquoParacalonrsquo and who(that is whose teaching) would last forever lsquoI willpray the Father and He shall give you anotherComforter (Periqlytos) that he may abide withyou foreverrsquo [John 14 16]The word periqlytos means lsquoillustriouslsquorenownedrsquo and lsquopraiseworthyrsquo and this is exactlywhat the name lsquoAhmedrsquo means It is confirmed inthe Qurrsquoan that the Prophet Jesus did prophesize

that a Prophet named lsquoAhmedrsquo would come afterhimAllah the Exalted saysAnd remember when Jesus the son of Marysaid ldquoO Children of Israel I am the Messengerof Allah unto you confirming the Torah whichcame before me and giving glad tidings of a- 24 -Messenger to come after me whose name shallbe Ahmed [616]The Jews sent priests to John the Baptist tofind out who he was lsquoHe confessed ldquoI am not theChristrdquo And they asked him lsquorsquoWhat then Are youElijahrdquo And He said ldquoI am notrdquo lsquorsquoAre you thatProphetrdquo They insisted And he answered ldquoNordquohellipAnd then they said to him ldquoWhy do you baptizethen if you are not the Christ nor Elijah nor thatProphetrdquo (John 120-25)That Prophet is not Jesus but Muhammad ()because John the Baptist continued preaching andbaptizing and foretelling the coming of that Prophetduring the life-time of JesusWhat they said about Muhammad ()Alphonse de Lamartine said lsquoNever has a manset for himself voluntarily or involuntarily a moresublime aim since this aim was superhuman tosubvert superstitions which had been imposedbetween man and his Creator to render God untoman and man unto God to restore the rational andsacred idea of divinity amidst the chaos of thematerial and disfigured gods of idolatry thenexisting Never has a man undertaken a work sofar beyond human power with so feeble means for

- 25 -he (Muhammad) had in the conception as well asin the execution of such a great design no otherinstrument than himself and no other aid except ahandful of men living in a corner of the desertFinally never has a man accomplished such a hugeand lasting revolution in the world because in lessthan two centuries after its appearance Islam infaith and in arms reigned over the whole ofArabia and conquered in Gods name PersiaKhorasan Transoxania Western India SyriaEgypt Abyssinia all the known continent ofNorthern Africa numerous islands of theMediterranean Sea Spain and part of Gaul Ifgreatness of purpose smallness of means andastonishing results are the three criteria of a humangenius who could dare compare any great man inhistory with Muhammadrdquorsquo5George Bernard Shaw said lsquoI have always heldthe religion of Muhammad in high estimationbecause of its wonderful vitality It is the onlyreligion which appears to possess that assimilatingcapability to the changing phases of existencewhich make itself appeal to every age - I haveprophesized about the faith of Muhammad that itwould be acceptable tomorrow as it is beginning to5 Alphonse de LaMartaine in Histoire de la Turquie Paris1854- 26 -be acceptable to the Europe of today Medievalecclesiastics either through ignorance or bigotrypainted Mohammedanism in the darkest colors

They were in fact trained to hate both the manMuhammad and his religion To them Muhammadwas an anti-Christ I have studied him thewonderful man and in my opinion far from beingan anti-Christ he must be called the Savior ofhumanity - rsquo6The German Poet Wolfgang Goumlthe7 said lsquoIlooked into history for a human paradigm andfound it to be in Muhammad ()rsquo6 The Genuine Islam Vol 1 No 8 19367 A German writer and scientist Master of poetry dramaand the novel he also conducted scientific research invarious fields notably botany and held severalgovernmental positions- 27 -QUESTIONS AND ANSWERSCreedal Issues1) Who is Allah Do Muslims worship a differentGodSome people believe that Muslims worship a Godthat is different from the one worshipped byChristians and Jews This might be due to the factthat Muslims often refer to God as Allah Thisconcept is false since Allah is simply the Arabicword for the One true God Who created theuniverse and all humanity Let there be no doubt -Muslims worship the God of Noah AbrahamMoses David and Jesus () However it is certainlytrue that Jews Christians and Muslims all havedifferent concepts of Almighty God For exampleMuslims - like Jews - reject the Christian beliefs ofthe Trinity and the Divine Incarnation This

however does not mean that each of these threereligions worships a different God - because as wehave already said there is only One TrueGod Judaism Christianity and Islam all claim to beldquoAbrahamic Faithsrdquo and all of them are alsoclassified as ldquomonotheisticrdquo However Islam teachesthat other religions have in one way or anotherdistorted and nullified a pure and proper belief inAlmighty God by neglecting His true teachings and- 28 -mixing them with man-made ideas Islam calls uponpeople to return to the one true God and to worshipand obey Him alone Islam teaches that God shouldbe approached without intermediaries That isbecause the merciful all-knowing God is completelyin control of everything that exists and that He canbestow His grace and mercy on His creatures as Hepleases therefore no intercession atonement orincarnation is necessaryArabic speaking people of all religions refer toGod as Allah For example if you pick up anArabic translation of the Christian Bible you will seethe word Allah where God is used in EnglishTherefore Allah is not the god of only the Muslimsbut the same God worshipped by all monotheisticfaiths This idea that Allah is different from Godis illogical since it is tantamount to saying that theFrench worship a different god because they use

the word Dieu that Spaniards worship a differentgod because they say Dios or that the Hebrewsworshipped a different god because they calledHim YahwehThe Quran which is the divine scripture ofMuslims was revealed in the Arabic language soMuslims use the word Allah for God even whenthey are speaking other languages A more literaltranslation of Allah into English might be the oneand-only God or the one true God- 29 -It should be clearly understood that what Islam isprimarily concerned with is correcting humankindsconcept of Almighty God What people areultimately going to be held accountable for at the endof Day of Judgment is not whether they preferred theword Allah or the word God but what theirconcept of Him is The true concept of God isclarified only within the message revealed by HimThe last message sent by God or Allah is the Quran2) The Quran uses the word lsquoWersquo when quotingAllah Does that mean that Muslims believe inmore than one GodIslam adheres to uncompromising monotheism Itteaches that God is One and indivisible In theQuran God often refers to Himself as We But it

does not mean that there is more than one God Thereference of God to Himself as We in manyQuranic verses is necessarily understood in theArabic language to denote power and grandeur asopposed to the more intimate singular form I usedin specific instancesIn some languages there are two types of pluralform One is related to quantity and used to refer totwo or more persons places or things The other kindof plural is one of majesty power and distinction Forexample in proper English the Queen of Englandrefers to herself as lsquowersquo This is known as the lsquoroyal- 30 -pluralrsquo Rajeev Gandhi the ex-Prime Minister ofIndia used to say in Hindi Hum dekhna chahte hainWe want to see lsquoHumrsquo means lsquowersquo which is again aroyal plural in Hindi language Similarly when Godrefers to Himself in the Quran He sometimes usesthe Arabic word nahnu meaning lsquoWersquo It does notindicate a plurality of number but the plurality ofpower and majestyThe oneness of God is stressed throughout theQuran A clear example is in this short chapterSay He is Allah [who is] One Allah is He onWhom all depend He neither begets nor isborn nor is there to Him any equivalent [1121-4]3) The Quran says that Allah is merciful and that

He gives severe punishment So is He forgiving oris He vengefulThe Quran mentions many times that God is theMost Merciful In fact all except one of the 114chapters of the Quran begin with Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem which means I begin with thename of God the Entirely Merciful and theEspecially Merciful These two descriptions of Godare sometimes translated as The Compassionate theMerciful however in Arabic grammar both namesare an intensive form of the word mercifulRahmaan means merciful to all creation and justice is- 31 -part of this mercy Raheem means merciful especiallyto the believers and forgiveness is part of this mercyA complimentary and comprehensive meaning isintended by the use of both of them together Inaddition Allah speaks of His forgiveness throughoutthe Quran In fact Gods mercy and forgivenesshave been mentioned together more than 70 times inthe Quran Allah repeatedly reminds us sayingAnd Allah is Forgiving and MercifulBut He also gives severe punishment to thosewho deserve it Allah told Prophet Muhammad ()Inform My slaves that it is I Who am the

Forgiving the Merciful and that it is Mypunishment which is the [most] painfulpunishment [1549-50]Allah is just and His justice necessitates that Hereward those who obey and serve Him and punishthose who disobey and rebel against Him If Allahdid not punish the sinful wicked and evil peoplewho deserve to be punished it would not be justiceWhen punishment for wrongdoing is certain itserves to deter potential offenders In contrast ifAllah forgave everyone and punished no one therewould be no reason for legislation ethics or evenmorality Life on earth would be chaotic and nothing- 32 -short of anarchy True justice with its true rewardsand just penalties can only be found with Allah andthat is what He has promised in the QuranWe shall place the scales of justice for the Dayof Judgment so no soul will be dealt withunjustly at all And if there is [even] the weightof a mustard seed We will bring it forth Andsufficient are We to take account [2147]Allah forgives all those who repent and correctthemselves at any stage in their lives and He hasinvited all people to His abundant forgiveness andmercySay lsquoO My slaves who have transgressedagainst their souls Despair not of the mercy ofAllah Indeed Allah forgives all sins Indeed itis He who is the Forgiving the Merciful And

return [in repentance] to your Lord and submitto Him before the punishment comes upon youthen you will not be helped And follow thebest of what was revealed to you from your Lordbefore the punishment comes upon yousuddenly while you do not perceive [3953-5]- 33 -4) Some believe that Muslims worshipMuhammad Is this trueMuslims do not worship Muhammad () in anyway They believe that he was the last messenger sentby Allah and like all His other prophets andmessengers he was a human being However somepeople mistakenly assume that Muslims worshipMuhammad and this is one of the reasons thatMuslims were erroneously called MohammedansMuhammad like Jesus never claimed divinestatus He called people to worship Almighty Allahalone and he continually emphasized his humanityIn order to prevent his deification ProphetMuhammad () always said to refer to him asAllahs slave and messenger He () saidlsquoDo not adulate me as the Christians adulatedJesus son of Mary I am Allahs slave andmessengerrsquo (Bukhari)Muhammad was chosen to be Allahs finalmessenger and to communicate His message to usnot only in words but also as a living example of itspractical application Muslims love and respect him

because of his impeccable and upright moralcharacter and because he conveyed the truth fromAllah - which is the pure monotheism of Islam- 34 -Muslims strive to follow the great example ofProphet Muhammad () but do not worship him inany way Islam teaches Muslims to respect all ofAllahs prophets and messengers Howeverrespecting and loving them does not meanworshipping them Muslims know that all worshipand prayer must be directed to Allah aloneIn fact the worship of Muhammad - or anyoneelse ndash along with or instead of Almighty Allah isconsidered an unpardonable sin in Islam Even if aperson claims to be Muslim but worships or prays toanything other than God it invalidates ones claim toIslam The Declaration of Faith makes it clear thatMuslims must worship Allah alone5) Is Islam fatalisticMost Muslims find it rather odd that theirreligion which strikes a remarkable balance betweenfaith and deeds are sometimes accused of beingfatalistic Perhaps this misconception came aboutbecause Muslims are known to say All praise is due toAllah whenever anything good or bad happens Thisis because Muslims know that everything comesfrom God the Creator of the universe and occurs by

His will Thus a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always- 35 -for the best whether one recognizes it or not so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changedThis does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life On thecontrary Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation To be more preciseaction is a required part of ones faith If humanbeings did not have the ability to act it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things Far from being fatalistic Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to GodIslam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate Someeven say that if Allah had willed they would nothave sinned or committed crimes All of thesearguments are completely erroneous because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibited

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

and thought They noted that he always meantsomething A man rather taciturn in speechsilent when there was nothing to be said butpertinent wise sincere when he did speakalways throwing light on the matter This is theonly sort of speech worth speaking Throughlife we find him to have been regarded as analtogether solid brotherly genuine man Aserious sincere character yet amiable cordialcompanionable jocose even - a good laugh inhim withal there are men whose laugh is asuntrue as anything about them who cannotlaugh A spontaneous passionate yet just truemeaningman Full of wild faculty fire andlight of wild worth all uncultured working outhis life - takes in the depth of the Desert thereThey called him a prophet you say Why hestood there face to face with them here not- 22 -enshrined in any mystery visibly clouting hisown cloak cobbling his own shoes fightingcounseling ordering in the midst of them Theymust have seen what kind of a man he was lethim be called what ye like No emperor with histiaras was obeyed as this man in a cloak of hisown clouting During three and twenty years ofrough actual trial I find something of averitable hero necessary for that of itselfIf we say the physical appearance of a personinfluences their personality as do sociologists theProphet () was the most beautiful of people as hiscompanions who saw him informed us TheProphet () was of a slightly above-average height

Amazingly in gatherings he would appear tallerthan those actually taller than him - until thepeople dispersed In complexion he was whitewith a rosy tinge pale but not excessively so Hishair was jet black and wavy but stopped short ofcurling and was kept between his earlobes andshoulders Sometimes he would part his hair at themiddle Other times he would wear it braided TheProphet () had the physique of a powerful manHe had a broad upper-back and shouldersbetween which was the Seal of Prophet-hood Hehad long muscular limbs large joints and a widegirth His lean stomach never protruded out pastthe profile of his chest His face was radiant ldquoas ifthe sun were following its course across and- 23 -shining from his facerdquo His shoulders were broadhe was of medium height neither too tall nor shortHe was pleasant looking and majestic people werefull of awe when they saw him for the first timeand knew that his face was not one of a liarPropheciesProphet Jesus () foretold the coming ofanother Prophet whose name would belsquoPeriqlytosrsquo or lsquoParacletersquo or lsquoParacalonrsquo and who(that is whose teaching) would last forever lsquoI willpray the Father and He shall give you anotherComforter (Periqlytos) that he may abide withyou foreverrsquo [John 14 16]The word periqlytos means lsquoillustriouslsquorenownedrsquo and lsquopraiseworthyrsquo and this is exactlywhat the name lsquoAhmedrsquo means It is confirmed inthe Qurrsquoan that the Prophet Jesus did prophesize

that a Prophet named lsquoAhmedrsquo would come afterhimAllah the Exalted saysAnd remember when Jesus the son of Marysaid ldquoO Children of Israel I am the Messengerof Allah unto you confirming the Torah whichcame before me and giving glad tidings of a- 24 -Messenger to come after me whose name shallbe Ahmed [616]The Jews sent priests to John the Baptist tofind out who he was lsquoHe confessed ldquoI am not theChristrdquo And they asked him lsquorsquoWhat then Are youElijahrdquo And He said ldquoI am notrdquo lsquorsquoAre you thatProphetrdquo They insisted And he answered ldquoNordquohellipAnd then they said to him ldquoWhy do you baptizethen if you are not the Christ nor Elijah nor thatProphetrdquo (John 120-25)That Prophet is not Jesus but Muhammad ()because John the Baptist continued preaching andbaptizing and foretelling the coming of that Prophetduring the life-time of JesusWhat they said about Muhammad ()Alphonse de Lamartine said lsquoNever has a manset for himself voluntarily or involuntarily a moresublime aim since this aim was superhuman tosubvert superstitions which had been imposedbetween man and his Creator to render God untoman and man unto God to restore the rational andsacred idea of divinity amidst the chaos of thematerial and disfigured gods of idolatry thenexisting Never has a man undertaken a work sofar beyond human power with so feeble means for

- 25 -he (Muhammad) had in the conception as well asin the execution of such a great design no otherinstrument than himself and no other aid except ahandful of men living in a corner of the desertFinally never has a man accomplished such a hugeand lasting revolution in the world because in lessthan two centuries after its appearance Islam infaith and in arms reigned over the whole ofArabia and conquered in Gods name PersiaKhorasan Transoxania Western India SyriaEgypt Abyssinia all the known continent ofNorthern Africa numerous islands of theMediterranean Sea Spain and part of Gaul Ifgreatness of purpose smallness of means andastonishing results are the three criteria of a humangenius who could dare compare any great man inhistory with Muhammadrdquorsquo5George Bernard Shaw said lsquoI have always heldthe religion of Muhammad in high estimationbecause of its wonderful vitality It is the onlyreligion which appears to possess that assimilatingcapability to the changing phases of existencewhich make itself appeal to every age - I haveprophesized about the faith of Muhammad that itwould be acceptable tomorrow as it is beginning to5 Alphonse de LaMartaine in Histoire de la Turquie Paris1854- 26 -be acceptable to the Europe of today Medievalecclesiastics either through ignorance or bigotrypainted Mohammedanism in the darkest colors

They were in fact trained to hate both the manMuhammad and his religion To them Muhammadwas an anti-Christ I have studied him thewonderful man and in my opinion far from beingan anti-Christ he must be called the Savior ofhumanity - rsquo6The German Poet Wolfgang Goumlthe7 said lsquoIlooked into history for a human paradigm andfound it to be in Muhammad ()rsquo6 The Genuine Islam Vol 1 No 8 19367 A German writer and scientist Master of poetry dramaand the novel he also conducted scientific research invarious fields notably botany and held severalgovernmental positions- 27 -QUESTIONS AND ANSWERSCreedal Issues1) Who is Allah Do Muslims worship a differentGodSome people believe that Muslims worship a Godthat is different from the one worshipped byChristians and Jews This might be due to the factthat Muslims often refer to God as Allah Thisconcept is false since Allah is simply the Arabicword for the One true God Who created theuniverse and all humanity Let there be no doubt -Muslims worship the God of Noah AbrahamMoses David and Jesus () However it is certainlytrue that Jews Christians and Muslims all havedifferent concepts of Almighty God For exampleMuslims - like Jews - reject the Christian beliefs ofthe Trinity and the Divine Incarnation This

however does not mean that each of these threereligions worships a different God - because as wehave already said there is only One TrueGod Judaism Christianity and Islam all claim to beldquoAbrahamic Faithsrdquo and all of them are alsoclassified as ldquomonotheisticrdquo However Islam teachesthat other religions have in one way or anotherdistorted and nullified a pure and proper belief inAlmighty God by neglecting His true teachings and- 28 -mixing them with man-made ideas Islam calls uponpeople to return to the one true God and to worshipand obey Him alone Islam teaches that God shouldbe approached without intermediaries That isbecause the merciful all-knowing God is completelyin control of everything that exists and that He canbestow His grace and mercy on His creatures as Hepleases therefore no intercession atonement orincarnation is necessaryArabic speaking people of all religions refer toGod as Allah For example if you pick up anArabic translation of the Christian Bible you will seethe word Allah where God is used in EnglishTherefore Allah is not the god of only the Muslimsbut the same God worshipped by all monotheisticfaiths This idea that Allah is different from Godis illogical since it is tantamount to saying that theFrench worship a different god because they use

the word Dieu that Spaniards worship a differentgod because they say Dios or that the Hebrewsworshipped a different god because they calledHim YahwehThe Quran which is the divine scripture ofMuslims was revealed in the Arabic language soMuslims use the word Allah for God even whenthey are speaking other languages A more literaltranslation of Allah into English might be the oneand-only God or the one true God- 29 -It should be clearly understood that what Islam isprimarily concerned with is correcting humankindsconcept of Almighty God What people areultimately going to be held accountable for at the endof Day of Judgment is not whether they preferred theword Allah or the word God but what theirconcept of Him is The true concept of God isclarified only within the message revealed by HimThe last message sent by God or Allah is the Quran2) The Quran uses the word lsquoWersquo when quotingAllah Does that mean that Muslims believe inmore than one GodIslam adheres to uncompromising monotheism Itteaches that God is One and indivisible In theQuran God often refers to Himself as We But it

does not mean that there is more than one God Thereference of God to Himself as We in manyQuranic verses is necessarily understood in theArabic language to denote power and grandeur asopposed to the more intimate singular form I usedin specific instancesIn some languages there are two types of pluralform One is related to quantity and used to refer totwo or more persons places or things The other kindof plural is one of majesty power and distinction Forexample in proper English the Queen of Englandrefers to herself as lsquowersquo This is known as the lsquoroyal- 30 -pluralrsquo Rajeev Gandhi the ex-Prime Minister ofIndia used to say in Hindi Hum dekhna chahte hainWe want to see lsquoHumrsquo means lsquowersquo which is again aroyal plural in Hindi language Similarly when Godrefers to Himself in the Quran He sometimes usesthe Arabic word nahnu meaning lsquoWersquo It does notindicate a plurality of number but the plurality ofpower and majestyThe oneness of God is stressed throughout theQuran A clear example is in this short chapterSay He is Allah [who is] One Allah is He onWhom all depend He neither begets nor isborn nor is there to Him any equivalent [1121-4]3) The Quran says that Allah is merciful and that

He gives severe punishment So is He forgiving oris He vengefulThe Quran mentions many times that God is theMost Merciful In fact all except one of the 114chapters of the Quran begin with Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem which means I begin with thename of God the Entirely Merciful and theEspecially Merciful These two descriptions of Godare sometimes translated as The Compassionate theMerciful however in Arabic grammar both namesare an intensive form of the word mercifulRahmaan means merciful to all creation and justice is- 31 -part of this mercy Raheem means merciful especiallyto the believers and forgiveness is part of this mercyA complimentary and comprehensive meaning isintended by the use of both of them together Inaddition Allah speaks of His forgiveness throughoutthe Quran In fact Gods mercy and forgivenesshave been mentioned together more than 70 times inthe Quran Allah repeatedly reminds us sayingAnd Allah is Forgiving and MercifulBut He also gives severe punishment to thosewho deserve it Allah told Prophet Muhammad ()Inform My slaves that it is I Who am the

Forgiving the Merciful and that it is Mypunishment which is the [most] painfulpunishment [1549-50]Allah is just and His justice necessitates that Hereward those who obey and serve Him and punishthose who disobey and rebel against Him If Allahdid not punish the sinful wicked and evil peoplewho deserve to be punished it would not be justiceWhen punishment for wrongdoing is certain itserves to deter potential offenders In contrast ifAllah forgave everyone and punished no one therewould be no reason for legislation ethics or evenmorality Life on earth would be chaotic and nothing- 32 -short of anarchy True justice with its true rewardsand just penalties can only be found with Allah andthat is what He has promised in the QuranWe shall place the scales of justice for the Dayof Judgment so no soul will be dealt withunjustly at all And if there is [even] the weightof a mustard seed We will bring it forth Andsufficient are We to take account [2147]Allah forgives all those who repent and correctthemselves at any stage in their lives and He hasinvited all people to His abundant forgiveness andmercySay lsquoO My slaves who have transgressedagainst their souls Despair not of the mercy ofAllah Indeed Allah forgives all sins Indeed itis He who is the Forgiving the Merciful And

return [in repentance] to your Lord and submitto Him before the punishment comes upon youthen you will not be helped And follow thebest of what was revealed to you from your Lordbefore the punishment comes upon yousuddenly while you do not perceive [3953-5]- 33 -4) Some believe that Muslims worshipMuhammad Is this trueMuslims do not worship Muhammad () in anyway They believe that he was the last messenger sentby Allah and like all His other prophets andmessengers he was a human being However somepeople mistakenly assume that Muslims worshipMuhammad and this is one of the reasons thatMuslims were erroneously called MohammedansMuhammad like Jesus never claimed divinestatus He called people to worship Almighty Allahalone and he continually emphasized his humanityIn order to prevent his deification ProphetMuhammad () always said to refer to him asAllahs slave and messenger He () saidlsquoDo not adulate me as the Christians adulatedJesus son of Mary I am Allahs slave andmessengerrsquo (Bukhari)Muhammad was chosen to be Allahs finalmessenger and to communicate His message to usnot only in words but also as a living example of itspractical application Muslims love and respect him

because of his impeccable and upright moralcharacter and because he conveyed the truth fromAllah - which is the pure monotheism of Islam- 34 -Muslims strive to follow the great example ofProphet Muhammad () but do not worship him inany way Islam teaches Muslims to respect all ofAllahs prophets and messengers Howeverrespecting and loving them does not meanworshipping them Muslims know that all worshipand prayer must be directed to Allah aloneIn fact the worship of Muhammad - or anyoneelse ndash along with or instead of Almighty Allah isconsidered an unpardonable sin in Islam Even if aperson claims to be Muslim but worships or prays toanything other than God it invalidates ones claim toIslam The Declaration of Faith makes it clear thatMuslims must worship Allah alone5) Is Islam fatalisticMost Muslims find it rather odd that theirreligion which strikes a remarkable balance betweenfaith and deeds are sometimes accused of beingfatalistic Perhaps this misconception came aboutbecause Muslims are known to say All praise is due toAllah whenever anything good or bad happens Thisis because Muslims know that everything comesfrom God the Creator of the universe and occurs by

His will Thus a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always- 35 -for the best whether one recognizes it or not so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changedThis does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life On thecontrary Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation To be more preciseaction is a required part of ones faith If humanbeings did not have the ability to act it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things Far from being fatalistic Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to GodIslam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate Someeven say that if Allah had willed they would nothave sinned or committed crimes All of thesearguments are completely erroneous because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibited

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

Amazingly in gatherings he would appear tallerthan those actually taller than him - until thepeople dispersed In complexion he was whitewith a rosy tinge pale but not excessively so Hishair was jet black and wavy but stopped short ofcurling and was kept between his earlobes andshoulders Sometimes he would part his hair at themiddle Other times he would wear it braided TheProphet () had the physique of a powerful manHe had a broad upper-back and shouldersbetween which was the Seal of Prophet-hood Hehad long muscular limbs large joints and a widegirth His lean stomach never protruded out pastthe profile of his chest His face was radiant ldquoas ifthe sun were following its course across and- 23 -shining from his facerdquo His shoulders were broadhe was of medium height neither too tall nor shortHe was pleasant looking and majestic people werefull of awe when they saw him for the first timeand knew that his face was not one of a liarPropheciesProphet Jesus () foretold the coming ofanother Prophet whose name would belsquoPeriqlytosrsquo or lsquoParacletersquo or lsquoParacalonrsquo and who(that is whose teaching) would last forever lsquoI willpray the Father and He shall give you anotherComforter (Periqlytos) that he may abide withyou foreverrsquo [John 14 16]The word periqlytos means lsquoillustriouslsquorenownedrsquo and lsquopraiseworthyrsquo and this is exactlywhat the name lsquoAhmedrsquo means It is confirmed inthe Qurrsquoan that the Prophet Jesus did prophesize

that a Prophet named lsquoAhmedrsquo would come afterhimAllah the Exalted saysAnd remember when Jesus the son of Marysaid ldquoO Children of Israel I am the Messengerof Allah unto you confirming the Torah whichcame before me and giving glad tidings of a- 24 -Messenger to come after me whose name shallbe Ahmed [616]The Jews sent priests to John the Baptist tofind out who he was lsquoHe confessed ldquoI am not theChristrdquo And they asked him lsquorsquoWhat then Are youElijahrdquo And He said ldquoI am notrdquo lsquorsquoAre you thatProphetrdquo They insisted And he answered ldquoNordquohellipAnd then they said to him ldquoWhy do you baptizethen if you are not the Christ nor Elijah nor thatProphetrdquo (John 120-25)That Prophet is not Jesus but Muhammad ()because John the Baptist continued preaching andbaptizing and foretelling the coming of that Prophetduring the life-time of JesusWhat they said about Muhammad ()Alphonse de Lamartine said lsquoNever has a manset for himself voluntarily or involuntarily a moresublime aim since this aim was superhuman tosubvert superstitions which had been imposedbetween man and his Creator to render God untoman and man unto God to restore the rational andsacred idea of divinity amidst the chaos of thematerial and disfigured gods of idolatry thenexisting Never has a man undertaken a work sofar beyond human power with so feeble means for

- 25 -he (Muhammad) had in the conception as well asin the execution of such a great design no otherinstrument than himself and no other aid except ahandful of men living in a corner of the desertFinally never has a man accomplished such a hugeand lasting revolution in the world because in lessthan two centuries after its appearance Islam infaith and in arms reigned over the whole ofArabia and conquered in Gods name PersiaKhorasan Transoxania Western India SyriaEgypt Abyssinia all the known continent ofNorthern Africa numerous islands of theMediterranean Sea Spain and part of Gaul Ifgreatness of purpose smallness of means andastonishing results are the three criteria of a humangenius who could dare compare any great man inhistory with Muhammadrdquorsquo5George Bernard Shaw said lsquoI have always heldthe religion of Muhammad in high estimationbecause of its wonderful vitality It is the onlyreligion which appears to possess that assimilatingcapability to the changing phases of existencewhich make itself appeal to every age - I haveprophesized about the faith of Muhammad that itwould be acceptable tomorrow as it is beginning to5 Alphonse de LaMartaine in Histoire de la Turquie Paris1854- 26 -be acceptable to the Europe of today Medievalecclesiastics either through ignorance or bigotrypainted Mohammedanism in the darkest colors

They were in fact trained to hate both the manMuhammad and his religion To them Muhammadwas an anti-Christ I have studied him thewonderful man and in my opinion far from beingan anti-Christ he must be called the Savior ofhumanity - rsquo6The German Poet Wolfgang Goumlthe7 said lsquoIlooked into history for a human paradigm andfound it to be in Muhammad ()rsquo6 The Genuine Islam Vol 1 No 8 19367 A German writer and scientist Master of poetry dramaand the novel he also conducted scientific research invarious fields notably botany and held severalgovernmental positions- 27 -QUESTIONS AND ANSWERSCreedal Issues1) Who is Allah Do Muslims worship a differentGodSome people believe that Muslims worship a Godthat is different from the one worshipped byChristians and Jews This might be due to the factthat Muslims often refer to God as Allah Thisconcept is false since Allah is simply the Arabicword for the One true God Who created theuniverse and all humanity Let there be no doubt -Muslims worship the God of Noah AbrahamMoses David and Jesus () However it is certainlytrue that Jews Christians and Muslims all havedifferent concepts of Almighty God For exampleMuslims - like Jews - reject the Christian beliefs ofthe Trinity and the Divine Incarnation This

however does not mean that each of these threereligions worships a different God - because as wehave already said there is only One TrueGod Judaism Christianity and Islam all claim to beldquoAbrahamic Faithsrdquo and all of them are alsoclassified as ldquomonotheisticrdquo However Islam teachesthat other religions have in one way or anotherdistorted and nullified a pure and proper belief inAlmighty God by neglecting His true teachings and- 28 -mixing them with man-made ideas Islam calls uponpeople to return to the one true God and to worshipand obey Him alone Islam teaches that God shouldbe approached without intermediaries That isbecause the merciful all-knowing God is completelyin control of everything that exists and that He canbestow His grace and mercy on His creatures as Hepleases therefore no intercession atonement orincarnation is necessaryArabic speaking people of all religions refer toGod as Allah For example if you pick up anArabic translation of the Christian Bible you will seethe word Allah where God is used in EnglishTherefore Allah is not the god of only the Muslimsbut the same God worshipped by all monotheisticfaiths This idea that Allah is different from Godis illogical since it is tantamount to saying that theFrench worship a different god because they use

the word Dieu that Spaniards worship a differentgod because they say Dios or that the Hebrewsworshipped a different god because they calledHim YahwehThe Quran which is the divine scripture ofMuslims was revealed in the Arabic language soMuslims use the word Allah for God even whenthey are speaking other languages A more literaltranslation of Allah into English might be the oneand-only God or the one true God- 29 -It should be clearly understood that what Islam isprimarily concerned with is correcting humankindsconcept of Almighty God What people areultimately going to be held accountable for at the endof Day of Judgment is not whether they preferred theword Allah or the word God but what theirconcept of Him is The true concept of God isclarified only within the message revealed by HimThe last message sent by God or Allah is the Quran2) The Quran uses the word lsquoWersquo when quotingAllah Does that mean that Muslims believe inmore than one GodIslam adheres to uncompromising monotheism Itteaches that God is One and indivisible In theQuran God often refers to Himself as We But it

does not mean that there is more than one God Thereference of God to Himself as We in manyQuranic verses is necessarily understood in theArabic language to denote power and grandeur asopposed to the more intimate singular form I usedin specific instancesIn some languages there are two types of pluralform One is related to quantity and used to refer totwo or more persons places or things The other kindof plural is one of majesty power and distinction Forexample in proper English the Queen of Englandrefers to herself as lsquowersquo This is known as the lsquoroyal- 30 -pluralrsquo Rajeev Gandhi the ex-Prime Minister ofIndia used to say in Hindi Hum dekhna chahte hainWe want to see lsquoHumrsquo means lsquowersquo which is again aroyal plural in Hindi language Similarly when Godrefers to Himself in the Quran He sometimes usesthe Arabic word nahnu meaning lsquoWersquo It does notindicate a plurality of number but the plurality ofpower and majestyThe oneness of God is stressed throughout theQuran A clear example is in this short chapterSay He is Allah [who is] One Allah is He onWhom all depend He neither begets nor isborn nor is there to Him any equivalent [1121-4]3) The Quran says that Allah is merciful and that

He gives severe punishment So is He forgiving oris He vengefulThe Quran mentions many times that God is theMost Merciful In fact all except one of the 114chapters of the Quran begin with Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem which means I begin with thename of God the Entirely Merciful and theEspecially Merciful These two descriptions of Godare sometimes translated as The Compassionate theMerciful however in Arabic grammar both namesare an intensive form of the word mercifulRahmaan means merciful to all creation and justice is- 31 -part of this mercy Raheem means merciful especiallyto the believers and forgiveness is part of this mercyA complimentary and comprehensive meaning isintended by the use of both of them together Inaddition Allah speaks of His forgiveness throughoutthe Quran In fact Gods mercy and forgivenesshave been mentioned together more than 70 times inthe Quran Allah repeatedly reminds us sayingAnd Allah is Forgiving and MercifulBut He also gives severe punishment to thosewho deserve it Allah told Prophet Muhammad ()Inform My slaves that it is I Who am the

Forgiving the Merciful and that it is Mypunishment which is the [most] painfulpunishment [1549-50]Allah is just and His justice necessitates that Hereward those who obey and serve Him and punishthose who disobey and rebel against Him If Allahdid not punish the sinful wicked and evil peoplewho deserve to be punished it would not be justiceWhen punishment for wrongdoing is certain itserves to deter potential offenders In contrast ifAllah forgave everyone and punished no one therewould be no reason for legislation ethics or evenmorality Life on earth would be chaotic and nothing- 32 -short of anarchy True justice with its true rewardsand just penalties can only be found with Allah andthat is what He has promised in the QuranWe shall place the scales of justice for the Dayof Judgment so no soul will be dealt withunjustly at all And if there is [even] the weightof a mustard seed We will bring it forth Andsufficient are We to take account [2147]Allah forgives all those who repent and correctthemselves at any stage in their lives and He hasinvited all people to His abundant forgiveness andmercySay lsquoO My slaves who have transgressedagainst their souls Despair not of the mercy ofAllah Indeed Allah forgives all sins Indeed itis He who is the Forgiving the Merciful And

return [in repentance] to your Lord and submitto Him before the punishment comes upon youthen you will not be helped And follow thebest of what was revealed to you from your Lordbefore the punishment comes upon yousuddenly while you do not perceive [3953-5]- 33 -4) Some believe that Muslims worshipMuhammad Is this trueMuslims do not worship Muhammad () in anyway They believe that he was the last messenger sentby Allah and like all His other prophets andmessengers he was a human being However somepeople mistakenly assume that Muslims worshipMuhammad and this is one of the reasons thatMuslims were erroneously called MohammedansMuhammad like Jesus never claimed divinestatus He called people to worship Almighty Allahalone and he continually emphasized his humanityIn order to prevent his deification ProphetMuhammad () always said to refer to him asAllahs slave and messenger He () saidlsquoDo not adulate me as the Christians adulatedJesus son of Mary I am Allahs slave andmessengerrsquo (Bukhari)Muhammad was chosen to be Allahs finalmessenger and to communicate His message to usnot only in words but also as a living example of itspractical application Muslims love and respect him

because of his impeccable and upright moralcharacter and because he conveyed the truth fromAllah - which is the pure monotheism of Islam- 34 -Muslims strive to follow the great example ofProphet Muhammad () but do not worship him inany way Islam teaches Muslims to respect all ofAllahs prophets and messengers Howeverrespecting and loving them does not meanworshipping them Muslims know that all worshipand prayer must be directed to Allah aloneIn fact the worship of Muhammad - or anyoneelse ndash along with or instead of Almighty Allah isconsidered an unpardonable sin in Islam Even if aperson claims to be Muslim but worships or prays toanything other than God it invalidates ones claim toIslam The Declaration of Faith makes it clear thatMuslims must worship Allah alone5) Is Islam fatalisticMost Muslims find it rather odd that theirreligion which strikes a remarkable balance betweenfaith and deeds are sometimes accused of beingfatalistic Perhaps this misconception came aboutbecause Muslims are known to say All praise is due toAllah whenever anything good or bad happens Thisis because Muslims know that everything comesfrom God the Creator of the universe and occurs by

His will Thus a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always- 35 -for the best whether one recognizes it or not so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changedThis does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life On thecontrary Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation To be more preciseaction is a required part of ones faith If humanbeings did not have the ability to act it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things Far from being fatalistic Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to GodIslam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate Someeven say that if Allah had willed they would nothave sinned or committed crimes All of thesearguments are completely erroneous because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibited

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

that a Prophet named lsquoAhmedrsquo would come afterhimAllah the Exalted saysAnd remember when Jesus the son of Marysaid ldquoO Children of Israel I am the Messengerof Allah unto you confirming the Torah whichcame before me and giving glad tidings of a- 24 -Messenger to come after me whose name shallbe Ahmed [616]The Jews sent priests to John the Baptist tofind out who he was lsquoHe confessed ldquoI am not theChristrdquo And they asked him lsquorsquoWhat then Are youElijahrdquo And He said ldquoI am notrdquo lsquorsquoAre you thatProphetrdquo They insisted And he answered ldquoNordquohellipAnd then they said to him ldquoWhy do you baptizethen if you are not the Christ nor Elijah nor thatProphetrdquo (John 120-25)That Prophet is not Jesus but Muhammad ()because John the Baptist continued preaching andbaptizing and foretelling the coming of that Prophetduring the life-time of JesusWhat they said about Muhammad ()Alphonse de Lamartine said lsquoNever has a manset for himself voluntarily or involuntarily a moresublime aim since this aim was superhuman tosubvert superstitions which had been imposedbetween man and his Creator to render God untoman and man unto God to restore the rational andsacred idea of divinity amidst the chaos of thematerial and disfigured gods of idolatry thenexisting Never has a man undertaken a work sofar beyond human power with so feeble means for

- 25 -he (Muhammad) had in the conception as well asin the execution of such a great design no otherinstrument than himself and no other aid except ahandful of men living in a corner of the desertFinally never has a man accomplished such a hugeand lasting revolution in the world because in lessthan two centuries after its appearance Islam infaith and in arms reigned over the whole ofArabia and conquered in Gods name PersiaKhorasan Transoxania Western India SyriaEgypt Abyssinia all the known continent ofNorthern Africa numerous islands of theMediterranean Sea Spain and part of Gaul Ifgreatness of purpose smallness of means andastonishing results are the three criteria of a humangenius who could dare compare any great man inhistory with Muhammadrdquorsquo5George Bernard Shaw said lsquoI have always heldthe religion of Muhammad in high estimationbecause of its wonderful vitality It is the onlyreligion which appears to possess that assimilatingcapability to the changing phases of existencewhich make itself appeal to every age - I haveprophesized about the faith of Muhammad that itwould be acceptable tomorrow as it is beginning to5 Alphonse de LaMartaine in Histoire de la Turquie Paris1854- 26 -be acceptable to the Europe of today Medievalecclesiastics either through ignorance or bigotrypainted Mohammedanism in the darkest colors

They were in fact trained to hate both the manMuhammad and his religion To them Muhammadwas an anti-Christ I have studied him thewonderful man and in my opinion far from beingan anti-Christ he must be called the Savior ofhumanity - rsquo6The German Poet Wolfgang Goumlthe7 said lsquoIlooked into history for a human paradigm andfound it to be in Muhammad ()rsquo6 The Genuine Islam Vol 1 No 8 19367 A German writer and scientist Master of poetry dramaand the novel he also conducted scientific research invarious fields notably botany and held severalgovernmental positions- 27 -QUESTIONS AND ANSWERSCreedal Issues1) Who is Allah Do Muslims worship a differentGodSome people believe that Muslims worship a Godthat is different from the one worshipped byChristians and Jews This might be due to the factthat Muslims often refer to God as Allah Thisconcept is false since Allah is simply the Arabicword for the One true God Who created theuniverse and all humanity Let there be no doubt -Muslims worship the God of Noah AbrahamMoses David and Jesus () However it is certainlytrue that Jews Christians and Muslims all havedifferent concepts of Almighty God For exampleMuslims - like Jews - reject the Christian beliefs ofthe Trinity and the Divine Incarnation This

however does not mean that each of these threereligions worships a different God - because as wehave already said there is only One TrueGod Judaism Christianity and Islam all claim to beldquoAbrahamic Faithsrdquo and all of them are alsoclassified as ldquomonotheisticrdquo However Islam teachesthat other religions have in one way or anotherdistorted and nullified a pure and proper belief inAlmighty God by neglecting His true teachings and- 28 -mixing them with man-made ideas Islam calls uponpeople to return to the one true God and to worshipand obey Him alone Islam teaches that God shouldbe approached without intermediaries That isbecause the merciful all-knowing God is completelyin control of everything that exists and that He canbestow His grace and mercy on His creatures as Hepleases therefore no intercession atonement orincarnation is necessaryArabic speaking people of all religions refer toGod as Allah For example if you pick up anArabic translation of the Christian Bible you will seethe word Allah where God is used in EnglishTherefore Allah is not the god of only the Muslimsbut the same God worshipped by all monotheisticfaiths This idea that Allah is different from Godis illogical since it is tantamount to saying that theFrench worship a different god because they use

the word Dieu that Spaniards worship a differentgod because they say Dios or that the Hebrewsworshipped a different god because they calledHim YahwehThe Quran which is the divine scripture ofMuslims was revealed in the Arabic language soMuslims use the word Allah for God even whenthey are speaking other languages A more literaltranslation of Allah into English might be the oneand-only God or the one true God- 29 -It should be clearly understood that what Islam isprimarily concerned with is correcting humankindsconcept of Almighty God What people areultimately going to be held accountable for at the endof Day of Judgment is not whether they preferred theword Allah or the word God but what theirconcept of Him is The true concept of God isclarified only within the message revealed by HimThe last message sent by God or Allah is the Quran2) The Quran uses the word lsquoWersquo when quotingAllah Does that mean that Muslims believe inmore than one GodIslam adheres to uncompromising monotheism Itteaches that God is One and indivisible In theQuran God often refers to Himself as We But it

does not mean that there is more than one God Thereference of God to Himself as We in manyQuranic verses is necessarily understood in theArabic language to denote power and grandeur asopposed to the more intimate singular form I usedin specific instancesIn some languages there are two types of pluralform One is related to quantity and used to refer totwo or more persons places or things The other kindof plural is one of majesty power and distinction Forexample in proper English the Queen of Englandrefers to herself as lsquowersquo This is known as the lsquoroyal- 30 -pluralrsquo Rajeev Gandhi the ex-Prime Minister ofIndia used to say in Hindi Hum dekhna chahte hainWe want to see lsquoHumrsquo means lsquowersquo which is again aroyal plural in Hindi language Similarly when Godrefers to Himself in the Quran He sometimes usesthe Arabic word nahnu meaning lsquoWersquo It does notindicate a plurality of number but the plurality ofpower and majestyThe oneness of God is stressed throughout theQuran A clear example is in this short chapterSay He is Allah [who is] One Allah is He onWhom all depend He neither begets nor isborn nor is there to Him any equivalent [1121-4]3) The Quran says that Allah is merciful and that

He gives severe punishment So is He forgiving oris He vengefulThe Quran mentions many times that God is theMost Merciful In fact all except one of the 114chapters of the Quran begin with Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem which means I begin with thename of God the Entirely Merciful and theEspecially Merciful These two descriptions of Godare sometimes translated as The Compassionate theMerciful however in Arabic grammar both namesare an intensive form of the word mercifulRahmaan means merciful to all creation and justice is- 31 -part of this mercy Raheem means merciful especiallyto the believers and forgiveness is part of this mercyA complimentary and comprehensive meaning isintended by the use of both of them together Inaddition Allah speaks of His forgiveness throughoutthe Quran In fact Gods mercy and forgivenesshave been mentioned together more than 70 times inthe Quran Allah repeatedly reminds us sayingAnd Allah is Forgiving and MercifulBut He also gives severe punishment to thosewho deserve it Allah told Prophet Muhammad ()Inform My slaves that it is I Who am the

Forgiving the Merciful and that it is Mypunishment which is the [most] painfulpunishment [1549-50]Allah is just and His justice necessitates that Hereward those who obey and serve Him and punishthose who disobey and rebel against Him If Allahdid not punish the sinful wicked and evil peoplewho deserve to be punished it would not be justiceWhen punishment for wrongdoing is certain itserves to deter potential offenders In contrast ifAllah forgave everyone and punished no one therewould be no reason for legislation ethics or evenmorality Life on earth would be chaotic and nothing- 32 -short of anarchy True justice with its true rewardsand just penalties can only be found with Allah andthat is what He has promised in the QuranWe shall place the scales of justice for the Dayof Judgment so no soul will be dealt withunjustly at all And if there is [even] the weightof a mustard seed We will bring it forth Andsufficient are We to take account [2147]Allah forgives all those who repent and correctthemselves at any stage in their lives and He hasinvited all people to His abundant forgiveness andmercySay lsquoO My slaves who have transgressedagainst their souls Despair not of the mercy ofAllah Indeed Allah forgives all sins Indeed itis He who is the Forgiving the Merciful And

return [in repentance] to your Lord and submitto Him before the punishment comes upon youthen you will not be helped And follow thebest of what was revealed to you from your Lordbefore the punishment comes upon yousuddenly while you do not perceive [3953-5]- 33 -4) Some believe that Muslims worshipMuhammad Is this trueMuslims do not worship Muhammad () in anyway They believe that he was the last messenger sentby Allah and like all His other prophets andmessengers he was a human being However somepeople mistakenly assume that Muslims worshipMuhammad and this is one of the reasons thatMuslims were erroneously called MohammedansMuhammad like Jesus never claimed divinestatus He called people to worship Almighty Allahalone and he continually emphasized his humanityIn order to prevent his deification ProphetMuhammad () always said to refer to him asAllahs slave and messenger He () saidlsquoDo not adulate me as the Christians adulatedJesus son of Mary I am Allahs slave andmessengerrsquo (Bukhari)Muhammad was chosen to be Allahs finalmessenger and to communicate His message to usnot only in words but also as a living example of itspractical application Muslims love and respect him

because of his impeccable and upright moralcharacter and because he conveyed the truth fromAllah - which is the pure monotheism of Islam- 34 -Muslims strive to follow the great example ofProphet Muhammad () but do not worship him inany way Islam teaches Muslims to respect all ofAllahs prophets and messengers Howeverrespecting and loving them does not meanworshipping them Muslims know that all worshipand prayer must be directed to Allah aloneIn fact the worship of Muhammad - or anyoneelse ndash along with or instead of Almighty Allah isconsidered an unpardonable sin in Islam Even if aperson claims to be Muslim but worships or prays toanything other than God it invalidates ones claim toIslam The Declaration of Faith makes it clear thatMuslims must worship Allah alone5) Is Islam fatalisticMost Muslims find it rather odd that theirreligion which strikes a remarkable balance betweenfaith and deeds are sometimes accused of beingfatalistic Perhaps this misconception came aboutbecause Muslims are known to say All praise is due toAllah whenever anything good or bad happens Thisis because Muslims know that everything comesfrom God the Creator of the universe and occurs by

His will Thus a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always- 35 -for the best whether one recognizes it or not so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changedThis does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life On thecontrary Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation To be more preciseaction is a required part of ones faith If humanbeings did not have the ability to act it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things Far from being fatalistic Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to GodIslam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate Someeven say that if Allah had willed they would nothave sinned or committed crimes All of thesearguments are completely erroneous because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibited

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

- 25 -he (Muhammad) had in the conception as well asin the execution of such a great design no otherinstrument than himself and no other aid except ahandful of men living in a corner of the desertFinally never has a man accomplished such a hugeand lasting revolution in the world because in lessthan two centuries after its appearance Islam infaith and in arms reigned over the whole ofArabia and conquered in Gods name PersiaKhorasan Transoxania Western India SyriaEgypt Abyssinia all the known continent ofNorthern Africa numerous islands of theMediterranean Sea Spain and part of Gaul Ifgreatness of purpose smallness of means andastonishing results are the three criteria of a humangenius who could dare compare any great man inhistory with Muhammadrdquorsquo5George Bernard Shaw said lsquoI have always heldthe religion of Muhammad in high estimationbecause of its wonderful vitality It is the onlyreligion which appears to possess that assimilatingcapability to the changing phases of existencewhich make itself appeal to every age - I haveprophesized about the faith of Muhammad that itwould be acceptable tomorrow as it is beginning to5 Alphonse de LaMartaine in Histoire de la Turquie Paris1854- 26 -be acceptable to the Europe of today Medievalecclesiastics either through ignorance or bigotrypainted Mohammedanism in the darkest colors

They were in fact trained to hate both the manMuhammad and his religion To them Muhammadwas an anti-Christ I have studied him thewonderful man and in my opinion far from beingan anti-Christ he must be called the Savior ofhumanity - rsquo6The German Poet Wolfgang Goumlthe7 said lsquoIlooked into history for a human paradigm andfound it to be in Muhammad ()rsquo6 The Genuine Islam Vol 1 No 8 19367 A German writer and scientist Master of poetry dramaand the novel he also conducted scientific research invarious fields notably botany and held severalgovernmental positions- 27 -QUESTIONS AND ANSWERSCreedal Issues1) Who is Allah Do Muslims worship a differentGodSome people believe that Muslims worship a Godthat is different from the one worshipped byChristians and Jews This might be due to the factthat Muslims often refer to God as Allah Thisconcept is false since Allah is simply the Arabicword for the One true God Who created theuniverse and all humanity Let there be no doubt -Muslims worship the God of Noah AbrahamMoses David and Jesus () However it is certainlytrue that Jews Christians and Muslims all havedifferent concepts of Almighty God For exampleMuslims - like Jews - reject the Christian beliefs ofthe Trinity and the Divine Incarnation This

however does not mean that each of these threereligions worships a different God - because as wehave already said there is only One TrueGod Judaism Christianity and Islam all claim to beldquoAbrahamic Faithsrdquo and all of them are alsoclassified as ldquomonotheisticrdquo However Islam teachesthat other religions have in one way or anotherdistorted and nullified a pure and proper belief inAlmighty God by neglecting His true teachings and- 28 -mixing them with man-made ideas Islam calls uponpeople to return to the one true God and to worshipand obey Him alone Islam teaches that God shouldbe approached without intermediaries That isbecause the merciful all-knowing God is completelyin control of everything that exists and that He canbestow His grace and mercy on His creatures as Hepleases therefore no intercession atonement orincarnation is necessaryArabic speaking people of all religions refer toGod as Allah For example if you pick up anArabic translation of the Christian Bible you will seethe word Allah where God is used in EnglishTherefore Allah is not the god of only the Muslimsbut the same God worshipped by all monotheisticfaiths This idea that Allah is different from Godis illogical since it is tantamount to saying that theFrench worship a different god because they use

the word Dieu that Spaniards worship a differentgod because they say Dios or that the Hebrewsworshipped a different god because they calledHim YahwehThe Quran which is the divine scripture ofMuslims was revealed in the Arabic language soMuslims use the word Allah for God even whenthey are speaking other languages A more literaltranslation of Allah into English might be the oneand-only God or the one true God- 29 -It should be clearly understood that what Islam isprimarily concerned with is correcting humankindsconcept of Almighty God What people areultimately going to be held accountable for at the endof Day of Judgment is not whether they preferred theword Allah or the word God but what theirconcept of Him is The true concept of God isclarified only within the message revealed by HimThe last message sent by God or Allah is the Quran2) The Quran uses the word lsquoWersquo when quotingAllah Does that mean that Muslims believe inmore than one GodIslam adheres to uncompromising monotheism Itteaches that God is One and indivisible In theQuran God often refers to Himself as We But it

does not mean that there is more than one God Thereference of God to Himself as We in manyQuranic verses is necessarily understood in theArabic language to denote power and grandeur asopposed to the more intimate singular form I usedin specific instancesIn some languages there are two types of pluralform One is related to quantity and used to refer totwo or more persons places or things The other kindof plural is one of majesty power and distinction Forexample in proper English the Queen of Englandrefers to herself as lsquowersquo This is known as the lsquoroyal- 30 -pluralrsquo Rajeev Gandhi the ex-Prime Minister ofIndia used to say in Hindi Hum dekhna chahte hainWe want to see lsquoHumrsquo means lsquowersquo which is again aroyal plural in Hindi language Similarly when Godrefers to Himself in the Quran He sometimes usesthe Arabic word nahnu meaning lsquoWersquo It does notindicate a plurality of number but the plurality ofpower and majestyThe oneness of God is stressed throughout theQuran A clear example is in this short chapterSay He is Allah [who is] One Allah is He onWhom all depend He neither begets nor isborn nor is there to Him any equivalent [1121-4]3) The Quran says that Allah is merciful and that

He gives severe punishment So is He forgiving oris He vengefulThe Quran mentions many times that God is theMost Merciful In fact all except one of the 114chapters of the Quran begin with Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem which means I begin with thename of God the Entirely Merciful and theEspecially Merciful These two descriptions of Godare sometimes translated as The Compassionate theMerciful however in Arabic grammar both namesare an intensive form of the word mercifulRahmaan means merciful to all creation and justice is- 31 -part of this mercy Raheem means merciful especiallyto the believers and forgiveness is part of this mercyA complimentary and comprehensive meaning isintended by the use of both of them together Inaddition Allah speaks of His forgiveness throughoutthe Quran In fact Gods mercy and forgivenesshave been mentioned together more than 70 times inthe Quran Allah repeatedly reminds us sayingAnd Allah is Forgiving and MercifulBut He also gives severe punishment to thosewho deserve it Allah told Prophet Muhammad ()Inform My slaves that it is I Who am the

Forgiving the Merciful and that it is Mypunishment which is the [most] painfulpunishment [1549-50]Allah is just and His justice necessitates that Hereward those who obey and serve Him and punishthose who disobey and rebel against Him If Allahdid not punish the sinful wicked and evil peoplewho deserve to be punished it would not be justiceWhen punishment for wrongdoing is certain itserves to deter potential offenders In contrast ifAllah forgave everyone and punished no one therewould be no reason for legislation ethics or evenmorality Life on earth would be chaotic and nothing- 32 -short of anarchy True justice with its true rewardsand just penalties can only be found with Allah andthat is what He has promised in the QuranWe shall place the scales of justice for the Dayof Judgment so no soul will be dealt withunjustly at all And if there is [even] the weightof a mustard seed We will bring it forth Andsufficient are We to take account [2147]Allah forgives all those who repent and correctthemselves at any stage in their lives and He hasinvited all people to His abundant forgiveness andmercySay lsquoO My slaves who have transgressedagainst their souls Despair not of the mercy ofAllah Indeed Allah forgives all sins Indeed itis He who is the Forgiving the Merciful And

return [in repentance] to your Lord and submitto Him before the punishment comes upon youthen you will not be helped And follow thebest of what was revealed to you from your Lordbefore the punishment comes upon yousuddenly while you do not perceive [3953-5]- 33 -4) Some believe that Muslims worshipMuhammad Is this trueMuslims do not worship Muhammad () in anyway They believe that he was the last messenger sentby Allah and like all His other prophets andmessengers he was a human being However somepeople mistakenly assume that Muslims worshipMuhammad and this is one of the reasons thatMuslims were erroneously called MohammedansMuhammad like Jesus never claimed divinestatus He called people to worship Almighty Allahalone and he continually emphasized his humanityIn order to prevent his deification ProphetMuhammad () always said to refer to him asAllahs slave and messenger He () saidlsquoDo not adulate me as the Christians adulatedJesus son of Mary I am Allahs slave andmessengerrsquo (Bukhari)Muhammad was chosen to be Allahs finalmessenger and to communicate His message to usnot only in words but also as a living example of itspractical application Muslims love and respect him

because of his impeccable and upright moralcharacter and because he conveyed the truth fromAllah - which is the pure monotheism of Islam- 34 -Muslims strive to follow the great example ofProphet Muhammad () but do not worship him inany way Islam teaches Muslims to respect all ofAllahs prophets and messengers Howeverrespecting and loving them does not meanworshipping them Muslims know that all worshipand prayer must be directed to Allah aloneIn fact the worship of Muhammad - or anyoneelse ndash along with or instead of Almighty Allah isconsidered an unpardonable sin in Islam Even if aperson claims to be Muslim but worships or prays toanything other than God it invalidates ones claim toIslam The Declaration of Faith makes it clear thatMuslims must worship Allah alone5) Is Islam fatalisticMost Muslims find it rather odd that theirreligion which strikes a remarkable balance betweenfaith and deeds are sometimes accused of beingfatalistic Perhaps this misconception came aboutbecause Muslims are known to say All praise is due toAllah whenever anything good or bad happens Thisis because Muslims know that everything comesfrom God the Creator of the universe and occurs by

His will Thus a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always- 35 -for the best whether one recognizes it or not so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changedThis does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life On thecontrary Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation To be more preciseaction is a required part of ones faith If humanbeings did not have the ability to act it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things Far from being fatalistic Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to GodIslam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate Someeven say that if Allah had willed they would nothave sinned or committed crimes All of thesearguments are completely erroneous because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibited

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

They were in fact trained to hate both the manMuhammad and his religion To them Muhammadwas an anti-Christ I have studied him thewonderful man and in my opinion far from beingan anti-Christ he must be called the Savior ofhumanity - rsquo6The German Poet Wolfgang Goumlthe7 said lsquoIlooked into history for a human paradigm andfound it to be in Muhammad ()rsquo6 The Genuine Islam Vol 1 No 8 19367 A German writer and scientist Master of poetry dramaand the novel he also conducted scientific research invarious fields notably botany and held severalgovernmental positions- 27 -QUESTIONS AND ANSWERSCreedal Issues1) Who is Allah Do Muslims worship a differentGodSome people believe that Muslims worship a Godthat is different from the one worshipped byChristians and Jews This might be due to the factthat Muslims often refer to God as Allah Thisconcept is false since Allah is simply the Arabicword for the One true God Who created theuniverse and all humanity Let there be no doubt -Muslims worship the God of Noah AbrahamMoses David and Jesus () However it is certainlytrue that Jews Christians and Muslims all havedifferent concepts of Almighty God For exampleMuslims - like Jews - reject the Christian beliefs ofthe Trinity and the Divine Incarnation This

however does not mean that each of these threereligions worships a different God - because as wehave already said there is only One TrueGod Judaism Christianity and Islam all claim to beldquoAbrahamic Faithsrdquo and all of them are alsoclassified as ldquomonotheisticrdquo However Islam teachesthat other religions have in one way or anotherdistorted and nullified a pure and proper belief inAlmighty God by neglecting His true teachings and- 28 -mixing them with man-made ideas Islam calls uponpeople to return to the one true God and to worshipand obey Him alone Islam teaches that God shouldbe approached without intermediaries That isbecause the merciful all-knowing God is completelyin control of everything that exists and that He canbestow His grace and mercy on His creatures as Hepleases therefore no intercession atonement orincarnation is necessaryArabic speaking people of all religions refer toGod as Allah For example if you pick up anArabic translation of the Christian Bible you will seethe word Allah where God is used in EnglishTherefore Allah is not the god of only the Muslimsbut the same God worshipped by all monotheisticfaiths This idea that Allah is different from Godis illogical since it is tantamount to saying that theFrench worship a different god because they use

the word Dieu that Spaniards worship a differentgod because they say Dios or that the Hebrewsworshipped a different god because they calledHim YahwehThe Quran which is the divine scripture ofMuslims was revealed in the Arabic language soMuslims use the word Allah for God even whenthey are speaking other languages A more literaltranslation of Allah into English might be the oneand-only God or the one true God- 29 -It should be clearly understood that what Islam isprimarily concerned with is correcting humankindsconcept of Almighty God What people areultimately going to be held accountable for at the endof Day of Judgment is not whether they preferred theword Allah or the word God but what theirconcept of Him is The true concept of God isclarified only within the message revealed by HimThe last message sent by God or Allah is the Quran2) The Quran uses the word lsquoWersquo when quotingAllah Does that mean that Muslims believe inmore than one GodIslam adheres to uncompromising monotheism Itteaches that God is One and indivisible In theQuran God often refers to Himself as We But it

does not mean that there is more than one God Thereference of God to Himself as We in manyQuranic verses is necessarily understood in theArabic language to denote power and grandeur asopposed to the more intimate singular form I usedin specific instancesIn some languages there are two types of pluralform One is related to quantity and used to refer totwo or more persons places or things The other kindof plural is one of majesty power and distinction Forexample in proper English the Queen of Englandrefers to herself as lsquowersquo This is known as the lsquoroyal- 30 -pluralrsquo Rajeev Gandhi the ex-Prime Minister ofIndia used to say in Hindi Hum dekhna chahte hainWe want to see lsquoHumrsquo means lsquowersquo which is again aroyal plural in Hindi language Similarly when Godrefers to Himself in the Quran He sometimes usesthe Arabic word nahnu meaning lsquoWersquo It does notindicate a plurality of number but the plurality ofpower and majestyThe oneness of God is stressed throughout theQuran A clear example is in this short chapterSay He is Allah [who is] One Allah is He onWhom all depend He neither begets nor isborn nor is there to Him any equivalent [1121-4]3) The Quran says that Allah is merciful and that

He gives severe punishment So is He forgiving oris He vengefulThe Quran mentions many times that God is theMost Merciful In fact all except one of the 114chapters of the Quran begin with Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem which means I begin with thename of God the Entirely Merciful and theEspecially Merciful These two descriptions of Godare sometimes translated as The Compassionate theMerciful however in Arabic grammar both namesare an intensive form of the word mercifulRahmaan means merciful to all creation and justice is- 31 -part of this mercy Raheem means merciful especiallyto the believers and forgiveness is part of this mercyA complimentary and comprehensive meaning isintended by the use of both of them together Inaddition Allah speaks of His forgiveness throughoutthe Quran In fact Gods mercy and forgivenesshave been mentioned together more than 70 times inthe Quran Allah repeatedly reminds us sayingAnd Allah is Forgiving and MercifulBut He also gives severe punishment to thosewho deserve it Allah told Prophet Muhammad ()Inform My slaves that it is I Who am the

Forgiving the Merciful and that it is Mypunishment which is the [most] painfulpunishment [1549-50]Allah is just and His justice necessitates that Hereward those who obey and serve Him and punishthose who disobey and rebel against Him If Allahdid not punish the sinful wicked and evil peoplewho deserve to be punished it would not be justiceWhen punishment for wrongdoing is certain itserves to deter potential offenders In contrast ifAllah forgave everyone and punished no one therewould be no reason for legislation ethics or evenmorality Life on earth would be chaotic and nothing- 32 -short of anarchy True justice with its true rewardsand just penalties can only be found with Allah andthat is what He has promised in the QuranWe shall place the scales of justice for the Dayof Judgment so no soul will be dealt withunjustly at all And if there is [even] the weightof a mustard seed We will bring it forth Andsufficient are We to take account [2147]Allah forgives all those who repent and correctthemselves at any stage in their lives and He hasinvited all people to His abundant forgiveness andmercySay lsquoO My slaves who have transgressedagainst their souls Despair not of the mercy ofAllah Indeed Allah forgives all sins Indeed itis He who is the Forgiving the Merciful And

return [in repentance] to your Lord and submitto Him before the punishment comes upon youthen you will not be helped And follow thebest of what was revealed to you from your Lordbefore the punishment comes upon yousuddenly while you do not perceive [3953-5]- 33 -4) Some believe that Muslims worshipMuhammad Is this trueMuslims do not worship Muhammad () in anyway They believe that he was the last messenger sentby Allah and like all His other prophets andmessengers he was a human being However somepeople mistakenly assume that Muslims worshipMuhammad and this is one of the reasons thatMuslims were erroneously called MohammedansMuhammad like Jesus never claimed divinestatus He called people to worship Almighty Allahalone and he continually emphasized his humanityIn order to prevent his deification ProphetMuhammad () always said to refer to him asAllahs slave and messenger He () saidlsquoDo not adulate me as the Christians adulatedJesus son of Mary I am Allahs slave andmessengerrsquo (Bukhari)Muhammad was chosen to be Allahs finalmessenger and to communicate His message to usnot only in words but also as a living example of itspractical application Muslims love and respect him

because of his impeccable and upright moralcharacter and because he conveyed the truth fromAllah - which is the pure monotheism of Islam- 34 -Muslims strive to follow the great example ofProphet Muhammad () but do not worship him inany way Islam teaches Muslims to respect all ofAllahs prophets and messengers Howeverrespecting and loving them does not meanworshipping them Muslims know that all worshipand prayer must be directed to Allah aloneIn fact the worship of Muhammad - or anyoneelse ndash along with or instead of Almighty Allah isconsidered an unpardonable sin in Islam Even if aperson claims to be Muslim but worships or prays toanything other than God it invalidates ones claim toIslam The Declaration of Faith makes it clear thatMuslims must worship Allah alone5) Is Islam fatalisticMost Muslims find it rather odd that theirreligion which strikes a remarkable balance betweenfaith and deeds are sometimes accused of beingfatalistic Perhaps this misconception came aboutbecause Muslims are known to say All praise is due toAllah whenever anything good or bad happens Thisis because Muslims know that everything comesfrom God the Creator of the universe and occurs by

His will Thus a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always- 35 -for the best whether one recognizes it or not so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changedThis does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life On thecontrary Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation To be more preciseaction is a required part of ones faith If humanbeings did not have the ability to act it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things Far from being fatalistic Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to GodIslam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate Someeven say that if Allah had willed they would nothave sinned or committed crimes All of thesearguments are completely erroneous because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibited

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

however does not mean that each of these threereligions worships a different God - because as wehave already said there is only One TrueGod Judaism Christianity and Islam all claim to beldquoAbrahamic Faithsrdquo and all of them are alsoclassified as ldquomonotheisticrdquo However Islam teachesthat other religions have in one way or anotherdistorted and nullified a pure and proper belief inAlmighty God by neglecting His true teachings and- 28 -mixing them with man-made ideas Islam calls uponpeople to return to the one true God and to worshipand obey Him alone Islam teaches that God shouldbe approached without intermediaries That isbecause the merciful all-knowing God is completelyin control of everything that exists and that He canbestow His grace and mercy on His creatures as Hepleases therefore no intercession atonement orincarnation is necessaryArabic speaking people of all religions refer toGod as Allah For example if you pick up anArabic translation of the Christian Bible you will seethe word Allah where God is used in EnglishTherefore Allah is not the god of only the Muslimsbut the same God worshipped by all monotheisticfaiths This idea that Allah is different from Godis illogical since it is tantamount to saying that theFrench worship a different god because they use

the word Dieu that Spaniards worship a differentgod because they say Dios or that the Hebrewsworshipped a different god because they calledHim YahwehThe Quran which is the divine scripture ofMuslims was revealed in the Arabic language soMuslims use the word Allah for God even whenthey are speaking other languages A more literaltranslation of Allah into English might be the oneand-only God or the one true God- 29 -It should be clearly understood that what Islam isprimarily concerned with is correcting humankindsconcept of Almighty God What people areultimately going to be held accountable for at the endof Day of Judgment is not whether they preferred theword Allah or the word God but what theirconcept of Him is The true concept of God isclarified only within the message revealed by HimThe last message sent by God or Allah is the Quran2) The Quran uses the word lsquoWersquo when quotingAllah Does that mean that Muslims believe inmore than one GodIslam adheres to uncompromising monotheism Itteaches that God is One and indivisible In theQuran God often refers to Himself as We But it

does not mean that there is more than one God Thereference of God to Himself as We in manyQuranic verses is necessarily understood in theArabic language to denote power and grandeur asopposed to the more intimate singular form I usedin specific instancesIn some languages there are two types of pluralform One is related to quantity and used to refer totwo or more persons places or things The other kindof plural is one of majesty power and distinction Forexample in proper English the Queen of Englandrefers to herself as lsquowersquo This is known as the lsquoroyal- 30 -pluralrsquo Rajeev Gandhi the ex-Prime Minister ofIndia used to say in Hindi Hum dekhna chahte hainWe want to see lsquoHumrsquo means lsquowersquo which is again aroyal plural in Hindi language Similarly when Godrefers to Himself in the Quran He sometimes usesthe Arabic word nahnu meaning lsquoWersquo It does notindicate a plurality of number but the plurality ofpower and majestyThe oneness of God is stressed throughout theQuran A clear example is in this short chapterSay He is Allah [who is] One Allah is He onWhom all depend He neither begets nor isborn nor is there to Him any equivalent [1121-4]3) The Quran says that Allah is merciful and that

He gives severe punishment So is He forgiving oris He vengefulThe Quran mentions many times that God is theMost Merciful In fact all except one of the 114chapters of the Quran begin with Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem which means I begin with thename of God the Entirely Merciful and theEspecially Merciful These two descriptions of Godare sometimes translated as The Compassionate theMerciful however in Arabic grammar both namesare an intensive form of the word mercifulRahmaan means merciful to all creation and justice is- 31 -part of this mercy Raheem means merciful especiallyto the believers and forgiveness is part of this mercyA complimentary and comprehensive meaning isintended by the use of both of them together Inaddition Allah speaks of His forgiveness throughoutthe Quran In fact Gods mercy and forgivenesshave been mentioned together more than 70 times inthe Quran Allah repeatedly reminds us sayingAnd Allah is Forgiving and MercifulBut He also gives severe punishment to thosewho deserve it Allah told Prophet Muhammad ()Inform My slaves that it is I Who am the

Forgiving the Merciful and that it is Mypunishment which is the [most] painfulpunishment [1549-50]Allah is just and His justice necessitates that Hereward those who obey and serve Him and punishthose who disobey and rebel against Him If Allahdid not punish the sinful wicked and evil peoplewho deserve to be punished it would not be justiceWhen punishment for wrongdoing is certain itserves to deter potential offenders In contrast ifAllah forgave everyone and punished no one therewould be no reason for legislation ethics or evenmorality Life on earth would be chaotic and nothing- 32 -short of anarchy True justice with its true rewardsand just penalties can only be found with Allah andthat is what He has promised in the QuranWe shall place the scales of justice for the Dayof Judgment so no soul will be dealt withunjustly at all And if there is [even] the weightof a mustard seed We will bring it forth Andsufficient are We to take account [2147]Allah forgives all those who repent and correctthemselves at any stage in their lives and He hasinvited all people to His abundant forgiveness andmercySay lsquoO My slaves who have transgressedagainst their souls Despair not of the mercy ofAllah Indeed Allah forgives all sins Indeed itis He who is the Forgiving the Merciful And

return [in repentance] to your Lord and submitto Him before the punishment comes upon youthen you will not be helped And follow thebest of what was revealed to you from your Lordbefore the punishment comes upon yousuddenly while you do not perceive [3953-5]- 33 -4) Some believe that Muslims worshipMuhammad Is this trueMuslims do not worship Muhammad () in anyway They believe that he was the last messenger sentby Allah and like all His other prophets andmessengers he was a human being However somepeople mistakenly assume that Muslims worshipMuhammad and this is one of the reasons thatMuslims were erroneously called MohammedansMuhammad like Jesus never claimed divinestatus He called people to worship Almighty Allahalone and he continually emphasized his humanityIn order to prevent his deification ProphetMuhammad () always said to refer to him asAllahs slave and messenger He () saidlsquoDo not adulate me as the Christians adulatedJesus son of Mary I am Allahs slave andmessengerrsquo (Bukhari)Muhammad was chosen to be Allahs finalmessenger and to communicate His message to usnot only in words but also as a living example of itspractical application Muslims love and respect him

because of his impeccable and upright moralcharacter and because he conveyed the truth fromAllah - which is the pure monotheism of Islam- 34 -Muslims strive to follow the great example ofProphet Muhammad () but do not worship him inany way Islam teaches Muslims to respect all ofAllahs prophets and messengers Howeverrespecting and loving them does not meanworshipping them Muslims know that all worshipand prayer must be directed to Allah aloneIn fact the worship of Muhammad - or anyoneelse ndash along with or instead of Almighty Allah isconsidered an unpardonable sin in Islam Even if aperson claims to be Muslim but worships or prays toanything other than God it invalidates ones claim toIslam The Declaration of Faith makes it clear thatMuslims must worship Allah alone5) Is Islam fatalisticMost Muslims find it rather odd that theirreligion which strikes a remarkable balance betweenfaith and deeds are sometimes accused of beingfatalistic Perhaps this misconception came aboutbecause Muslims are known to say All praise is due toAllah whenever anything good or bad happens Thisis because Muslims know that everything comesfrom God the Creator of the universe and occurs by

His will Thus a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always- 35 -for the best whether one recognizes it or not so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changedThis does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life On thecontrary Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation To be more preciseaction is a required part of ones faith If humanbeings did not have the ability to act it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things Far from being fatalistic Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to GodIslam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate Someeven say that if Allah had willed they would nothave sinned or committed crimes All of thesearguments are completely erroneous because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibited

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

the word Dieu that Spaniards worship a differentgod because they say Dios or that the Hebrewsworshipped a different god because they calledHim YahwehThe Quran which is the divine scripture ofMuslims was revealed in the Arabic language soMuslims use the word Allah for God even whenthey are speaking other languages A more literaltranslation of Allah into English might be the oneand-only God or the one true God- 29 -It should be clearly understood that what Islam isprimarily concerned with is correcting humankindsconcept of Almighty God What people areultimately going to be held accountable for at the endof Day of Judgment is not whether they preferred theword Allah or the word God but what theirconcept of Him is The true concept of God isclarified only within the message revealed by HimThe last message sent by God or Allah is the Quran2) The Quran uses the word lsquoWersquo when quotingAllah Does that mean that Muslims believe inmore than one GodIslam adheres to uncompromising monotheism Itteaches that God is One and indivisible In theQuran God often refers to Himself as We But it

does not mean that there is more than one God Thereference of God to Himself as We in manyQuranic verses is necessarily understood in theArabic language to denote power and grandeur asopposed to the more intimate singular form I usedin specific instancesIn some languages there are two types of pluralform One is related to quantity and used to refer totwo or more persons places or things The other kindof plural is one of majesty power and distinction Forexample in proper English the Queen of Englandrefers to herself as lsquowersquo This is known as the lsquoroyal- 30 -pluralrsquo Rajeev Gandhi the ex-Prime Minister ofIndia used to say in Hindi Hum dekhna chahte hainWe want to see lsquoHumrsquo means lsquowersquo which is again aroyal plural in Hindi language Similarly when Godrefers to Himself in the Quran He sometimes usesthe Arabic word nahnu meaning lsquoWersquo It does notindicate a plurality of number but the plurality ofpower and majestyThe oneness of God is stressed throughout theQuran A clear example is in this short chapterSay He is Allah [who is] One Allah is He onWhom all depend He neither begets nor isborn nor is there to Him any equivalent [1121-4]3) The Quran says that Allah is merciful and that

He gives severe punishment So is He forgiving oris He vengefulThe Quran mentions many times that God is theMost Merciful In fact all except one of the 114chapters of the Quran begin with Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem which means I begin with thename of God the Entirely Merciful and theEspecially Merciful These two descriptions of Godare sometimes translated as The Compassionate theMerciful however in Arabic grammar both namesare an intensive form of the word mercifulRahmaan means merciful to all creation and justice is- 31 -part of this mercy Raheem means merciful especiallyto the believers and forgiveness is part of this mercyA complimentary and comprehensive meaning isintended by the use of both of them together Inaddition Allah speaks of His forgiveness throughoutthe Quran In fact Gods mercy and forgivenesshave been mentioned together more than 70 times inthe Quran Allah repeatedly reminds us sayingAnd Allah is Forgiving and MercifulBut He also gives severe punishment to thosewho deserve it Allah told Prophet Muhammad ()Inform My slaves that it is I Who am the

Forgiving the Merciful and that it is Mypunishment which is the [most] painfulpunishment [1549-50]Allah is just and His justice necessitates that Hereward those who obey and serve Him and punishthose who disobey and rebel against Him If Allahdid not punish the sinful wicked and evil peoplewho deserve to be punished it would not be justiceWhen punishment for wrongdoing is certain itserves to deter potential offenders In contrast ifAllah forgave everyone and punished no one therewould be no reason for legislation ethics or evenmorality Life on earth would be chaotic and nothing- 32 -short of anarchy True justice with its true rewardsand just penalties can only be found with Allah andthat is what He has promised in the QuranWe shall place the scales of justice for the Dayof Judgment so no soul will be dealt withunjustly at all And if there is [even] the weightof a mustard seed We will bring it forth Andsufficient are We to take account [2147]Allah forgives all those who repent and correctthemselves at any stage in their lives and He hasinvited all people to His abundant forgiveness andmercySay lsquoO My slaves who have transgressedagainst their souls Despair not of the mercy ofAllah Indeed Allah forgives all sins Indeed itis He who is the Forgiving the Merciful And

return [in repentance] to your Lord and submitto Him before the punishment comes upon youthen you will not be helped And follow thebest of what was revealed to you from your Lordbefore the punishment comes upon yousuddenly while you do not perceive [3953-5]- 33 -4) Some believe that Muslims worshipMuhammad Is this trueMuslims do not worship Muhammad () in anyway They believe that he was the last messenger sentby Allah and like all His other prophets andmessengers he was a human being However somepeople mistakenly assume that Muslims worshipMuhammad and this is one of the reasons thatMuslims were erroneously called MohammedansMuhammad like Jesus never claimed divinestatus He called people to worship Almighty Allahalone and he continually emphasized his humanityIn order to prevent his deification ProphetMuhammad () always said to refer to him asAllahs slave and messenger He () saidlsquoDo not adulate me as the Christians adulatedJesus son of Mary I am Allahs slave andmessengerrsquo (Bukhari)Muhammad was chosen to be Allahs finalmessenger and to communicate His message to usnot only in words but also as a living example of itspractical application Muslims love and respect him

because of his impeccable and upright moralcharacter and because he conveyed the truth fromAllah - which is the pure monotheism of Islam- 34 -Muslims strive to follow the great example ofProphet Muhammad () but do not worship him inany way Islam teaches Muslims to respect all ofAllahs prophets and messengers Howeverrespecting and loving them does not meanworshipping them Muslims know that all worshipand prayer must be directed to Allah aloneIn fact the worship of Muhammad - or anyoneelse ndash along with or instead of Almighty Allah isconsidered an unpardonable sin in Islam Even if aperson claims to be Muslim but worships or prays toanything other than God it invalidates ones claim toIslam The Declaration of Faith makes it clear thatMuslims must worship Allah alone5) Is Islam fatalisticMost Muslims find it rather odd that theirreligion which strikes a remarkable balance betweenfaith and deeds are sometimes accused of beingfatalistic Perhaps this misconception came aboutbecause Muslims are known to say All praise is due toAllah whenever anything good or bad happens Thisis because Muslims know that everything comesfrom God the Creator of the universe and occurs by

His will Thus a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always- 35 -for the best whether one recognizes it or not so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changedThis does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life On thecontrary Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation To be more preciseaction is a required part of ones faith If humanbeings did not have the ability to act it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things Far from being fatalistic Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to GodIslam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate Someeven say that if Allah had willed they would nothave sinned or committed crimes All of thesearguments are completely erroneous because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibited

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

does not mean that there is more than one God Thereference of God to Himself as We in manyQuranic verses is necessarily understood in theArabic language to denote power and grandeur asopposed to the more intimate singular form I usedin specific instancesIn some languages there are two types of pluralform One is related to quantity and used to refer totwo or more persons places or things The other kindof plural is one of majesty power and distinction Forexample in proper English the Queen of Englandrefers to herself as lsquowersquo This is known as the lsquoroyal- 30 -pluralrsquo Rajeev Gandhi the ex-Prime Minister ofIndia used to say in Hindi Hum dekhna chahte hainWe want to see lsquoHumrsquo means lsquowersquo which is again aroyal plural in Hindi language Similarly when Godrefers to Himself in the Quran He sometimes usesthe Arabic word nahnu meaning lsquoWersquo It does notindicate a plurality of number but the plurality ofpower and majestyThe oneness of God is stressed throughout theQuran A clear example is in this short chapterSay He is Allah [who is] One Allah is He onWhom all depend He neither begets nor isborn nor is there to Him any equivalent [1121-4]3) The Quran says that Allah is merciful and that

He gives severe punishment So is He forgiving oris He vengefulThe Quran mentions many times that God is theMost Merciful In fact all except one of the 114chapters of the Quran begin with Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem which means I begin with thename of God the Entirely Merciful and theEspecially Merciful These two descriptions of Godare sometimes translated as The Compassionate theMerciful however in Arabic grammar both namesare an intensive form of the word mercifulRahmaan means merciful to all creation and justice is- 31 -part of this mercy Raheem means merciful especiallyto the believers and forgiveness is part of this mercyA complimentary and comprehensive meaning isintended by the use of both of them together Inaddition Allah speaks of His forgiveness throughoutthe Quran In fact Gods mercy and forgivenesshave been mentioned together more than 70 times inthe Quran Allah repeatedly reminds us sayingAnd Allah is Forgiving and MercifulBut He also gives severe punishment to thosewho deserve it Allah told Prophet Muhammad ()Inform My slaves that it is I Who am the

Forgiving the Merciful and that it is Mypunishment which is the [most] painfulpunishment [1549-50]Allah is just and His justice necessitates that Hereward those who obey and serve Him and punishthose who disobey and rebel against Him If Allahdid not punish the sinful wicked and evil peoplewho deserve to be punished it would not be justiceWhen punishment for wrongdoing is certain itserves to deter potential offenders In contrast ifAllah forgave everyone and punished no one therewould be no reason for legislation ethics or evenmorality Life on earth would be chaotic and nothing- 32 -short of anarchy True justice with its true rewardsand just penalties can only be found with Allah andthat is what He has promised in the QuranWe shall place the scales of justice for the Dayof Judgment so no soul will be dealt withunjustly at all And if there is [even] the weightof a mustard seed We will bring it forth Andsufficient are We to take account [2147]Allah forgives all those who repent and correctthemselves at any stage in their lives and He hasinvited all people to His abundant forgiveness andmercySay lsquoO My slaves who have transgressedagainst their souls Despair not of the mercy ofAllah Indeed Allah forgives all sins Indeed itis He who is the Forgiving the Merciful And

return [in repentance] to your Lord and submitto Him before the punishment comes upon youthen you will not be helped And follow thebest of what was revealed to you from your Lordbefore the punishment comes upon yousuddenly while you do not perceive [3953-5]- 33 -4) Some believe that Muslims worshipMuhammad Is this trueMuslims do not worship Muhammad () in anyway They believe that he was the last messenger sentby Allah and like all His other prophets andmessengers he was a human being However somepeople mistakenly assume that Muslims worshipMuhammad and this is one of the reasons thatMuslims were erroneously called MohammedansMuhammad like Jesus never claimed divinestatus He called people to worship Almighty Allahalone and he continually emphasized his humanityIn order to prevent his deification ProphetMuhammad () always said to refer to him asAllahs slave and messenger He () saidlsquoDo not adulate me as the Christians adulatedJesus son of Mary I am Allahs slave andmessengerrsquo (Bukhari)Muhammad was chosen to be Allahs finalmessenger and to communicate His message to usnot only in words but also as a living example of itspractical application Muslims love and respect him

because of his impeccable and upright moralcharacter and because he conveyed the truth fromAllah - which is the pure monotheism of Islam- 34 -Muslims strive to follow the great example ofProphet Muhammad () but do not worship him inany way Islam teaches Muslims to respect all ofAllahs prophets and messengers Howeverrespecting and loving them does not meanworshipping them Muslims know that all worshipand prayer must be directed to Allah aloneIn fact the worship of Muhammad - or anyoneelse ndash along with or instead of Almighty Allah isconsidered an unpardonable sin in Islam Even if aperson claims to be Muslim but worships or prays toanything other than God it invalidates ones claim toIslam The Declaration of Faith makes it clear thatMuslims must worship Allah alone5) Is Islam fatalisticMost Muslims find it rather odd that theirreligion which strikes a remarkable balance betweenfaith and deeds are sometimes accused of beingfatalistic Perhaps this misconception came aboutbecause Muslims are known to say All praise is due toAllah whenever anything good or bad happens Thisis because Muslims know that everything comesfrom God the Creator of the universe and occurs by

His will Thus a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always- 35 -for the best whether one recognizes it or not so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changedThis does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life On thecontrary Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation To be more preciseaction is a required part of ones faith If humanbeings did not have the ability to act it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things Far from being fatalistic Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to GodIslam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate Someeven say that if Allah had willed they would nothave sinned or committed crimes All of thesearguments are completely erroneous because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibited

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

He gives severe punishment So is He forgiving oris He vengefulThe Quran mentions many times that God is theMost Merciful In fact all except one of the 114chapters of the Quran begin with Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem which means I begin with thename of God the Entirely Merciful and theEspecially Merciful These two descriptions of Godare sometimes translated as The Compassionate theMerciful however in Arabic grammar both namesare an intensive form of the word mercifulRahmaan means merciful to all creation and justice is- 31 -part of this mercy Raheem means merciful especiallyto the believers and forgiveness is part of this mercyA complimentary and comprehensive meaning isintended by the use of both of them together Inaddition Allah speaks of His forgiveness throughoutthe Quran In fact Gods mercy and forgivenesshave been mentioned together more than 70 times inthe Quran Allah repeatedly reminds us sayingAnd Allah is Forgiving and MercifulBut He also gives severe punishment to thosewho deserve it Allah told Prophet Muhammad ()Inform My slaves that it is I Who am the

Forgiving the Merciful and that it is Mypunishment which is the [most] painfulpunishment [1549-50]Allah is just and His justice necessitates that Hereward those who obey and serve Him and punishthose who disobey and rebel against Him If Allahdid not punish the sinful wicked and evil peoplewho deserve to be punished it would not be justiceWhen punishment for wrongdoing is certain itserves to deter potential offenders In contrast ifAllah forgave everyone and punished no one therewould be no reason for legislation ethics or evenmorality Life on earth would be chaotic and nothing- 32 -short of anarchy True justice with its true rewardsand just penalties can only be found with Allah andthat is what He has promised in the QuranWe shall place the scales of justice for the Dayof Judgment so no soul will be dealt withunjustly at all And if there is [even] the weightof a mustard seed We will bring it forth Andsufficient are We to take account [2147]Allah forgives all those who repent and correctthemselves at any stage in their lives and He hasinvited all people to His abundant forgiveness andmercySay lsquoO My slaves who have transgressedagainst their souls Despair not of the mercy ofAllah Indeed Allah forgives all sins Indeed itis He who is the Forgiving the Merciful And

return [in repentance] to your Lord and submitto Him before the punishment comes upon youthen you will not be helped And follow thebest of what was revealed to you from your Lordbefore the punishment comes upon yousuddenly while you do not perceive [3953-5]- 33 -4) Some believe that Muslims worshipMuhammad Is this trueMuslims do not worship Muhammad () in anyway They believe that he was the last messenger sentby Allah and like all His other prophets andmessengers he was a human being However somepeople mistakenly assume that Muslims worshipMuhammad and this is one of the reasons thatMuslims were erroneously called MohammedansMuhammad like Jesus never claimed divinestatus He called people to worship Almighty Allahalone and he continually emphasized his humanityIn order to prevent his deification ProphetMuhammad () always said to refer to him asAllahs slave and messenger He () saidlsquoDo not adulate me as the Christians adulatedJesus son of Mary I am Allahs slave andmessengerrsquo (Bukhari)Muhammad was chosen to be Allahs finalmessenger and to communicate His message to usnot only in words but also as a living example of itspractical application Muslims love and respect him

because of his impeccable and upright moralcharacter and because he conveyed the truth fromAllah - which is the pure monotheism of Islam- 34 -Muslims strive to follow the great example ofProphet Muhammad () but do not worship him inany way Islam teaches Muslims to respect all ofAllahs prophets and messengers Howeverrespecting and loving them does not meanworshipping them Muslims know that all worshipand prayer must be directed to Allah aloneIn fact the worship of Muhammad - or anyoneelse ndash along with or instead of Almighty Allah isconsidered an unpardonable sin in Islam Even if aperson claims to be Muslim but worships or prays toanything other than God it invalidates ones claim toIslam The Declaration of Faith makes it clear thatMuslims must worship Allah alone5) Is Islam fatalisticMost Muslims find it rather odd that theirreligion which strikes a remarkable balance betweenfaith and deeds are sometimes accused of beingfatalistic Perhaps this misconception came aboutbecause Muslims are known to say All praise is due toAllah whenever anything good or bad happens Thisis because Muslims know that everything comesfrom God the Creator of the universe and occurs by

His will Thus a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always- 35 -for the best whether one recognizes it or not so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changedThis does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life On thecontrary Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation To be more preciseaction is a required part of ones faith If humanbeings did not have the ability to act it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things Far from being fatalistic Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to GodIslam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate Someeven say that if Allah had willed they would nothave sinned or committed crimes All of thesearguments are completely erroneous because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibited

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

Forgiving the Merciful and that it is Mypunishment which is the [most] painfulpunishment [1549-50]Allah is just and His justice necessitates that Hereward those who obey and serve Him and punishthose who disobey and rebel against Him If Allahdid not punish the sinful wicked and evil peoplewho deserve to be punished it would not be justiceWhen punishment for wrongdoing is certain itserves to deter potential offenders In contrast ifAllah forgave everyone and punished no one therewould be no reason for legislation ethics or evenmorality Life on earth would be chaotic and nothing- 32 -short of anarchy True justice with its true rewardsand just penalties can only be found with Allah andthat is what He has promised in the QuranWe shall place the scales of justice for the Dayof Judgment so no soul will be dealt withunjustly at all And if there is [even] the weightof a mustard seed We will bring it forth Andsufficient are We to take account [2147]Allah forgives all those who repent and correctthemselves at any stage in their lives and He hasinvited all people to His abundant forgiveness andmercySay lsquoO My slaves who have transgressedagainst their souls Despair not of the mercy ofAllah Indeed Allah forgives all sins Indeed itis He who is the Forgiving the Merciful And

return [in repentance] to your Lord and submitto Him before the punishment comes upon youthen you will not be helped And follow thebest of what was revealed to you from your Lordbefore the punishment comes upon yousuddenly while you do not perceive [3953-5]- 33 -4) Some believe that Muslims worshipMuhammad Is this trueMuslims do not worship Muhammad () in anyway They believe that he was the last messenger sentby Allah and like all His other prophets andmessengers he was a human being However somepeople mistakenly assume that Muslims worshipMuhammad and this is one of the reasons thatMuslims were erroneously called MohammedansMuhammad like Jesus never claimed divinestatus He called people to worship Almighty Allahalone and he continually emphasized his humanityIn order to prevent his deification ProphetMuhammad () always said to refer to him asAllahs slave and messenger He () saidlsquoDo not adulate me as the Christians adulatedJesus son of Mary I am Allahs slave andmessengerrsquo (Bukhari)Muhammad was chosen to be Allahs finalmessenger and to communicate His message to usnot only in words but also as a living example of itspractical application Muslims love and respect him

because of his impeccable and upright moralcharacter and because he conveyed the truth fromAllah - which is the pure monotheism of Islam- 34 -Muslims strive to follow the great example ofProphet Muhammad () but do not worship him inany way Islam teaches Muslims to respect all ofAllahs prophets and messengers Howeverrespecting and loving them does not meanworshipping them Muslims know that all worshipand prayer must be directed to Allah aloneIn fact the worship of Muhammad - or anyoneelse ndash along with or instead of Almighty Allah isconsidered an unpardonable sin in Islam Even if aperson claims to be Muslim but worships or prays toanything other than God it invalidates ones claim toIslam The Declaration of Faith makes it clear thatMuslims must worship Allah alone5) Is Islam fatalisticMost Muslims find it rather odd that theirreligion which strikes a remarkable balance betweenfaith and deeds are sometimes accused of beingfatalistic Perhaps this misconception came aboutbecause Muslims are known to say All praise is due toAllah whenever anything good or bad happens Thisis because Muslims know that everything comesfrom God the Creator of the universe and occurs by

His will Thus a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always- 35 -for the best whether one recognizes it or not so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changedThis does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life On thecontrary Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation To be more preciseaction is a required part of ones faith If humanbeings did not have the ability to act it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things Far from being fatalistic Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to GodIslam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate Someeven say that if Allah had willed they would nothave sinned or committed crimes All of thesearguments are completely erroneous because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibited

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

return [in repentance] to your Lord and submitto Him before the punishment comes upon youthen you will not be helped And follow thebest of what was revealed to you from your Lordbefore the punishment comes upon yousuddenly while you do not perceive [3953-5]- 33 -4) Some believe that Muslims worshipMuhammad Is this trueMuslims do not worship Muhammad () in anyway They believe that he was the last messenger sentby Allah and like all His other prophets andmessengers he was a human being However somepeople mistakenly assume that Muslims worshipMuhammad and this is one of the reasons thatMuslims were erroneously called MohammedansMuhammad like Jesus never claimed divinestatus He called people to worship Almighty Allahalone and he continually emphasized his humanityIn order to prevent his deification ProphetMuhammad () always said to refer to him asAllahs slave and messenger He () saidlsquoDo not adulate me as the Christians adulatedJesus son of Mary I am Allahs slave andmessengerrsquo (Bukhari)Muhammad was chosen to be Allahs finalmessenger and to communicate His message to usnot only in words but also as a living example of itspractical application Muslims love and respect him

because of his impeccable and upright moralcharacter and because he conveyed the truth fromAllah - which is the pure monotheism of Islam- 34 -Muslims strive to follow the great example ofProphet Muhammad () but do not worship him inany way Islam teaches Muslims to respect all ofAllahs prophets and messengers Howeverrespecting and loving them does not meanworshipping them Muslims know that all worshipand prayer must be directed to Allah aloneIn fact the worship of Muhammad - or anyoneelse ndash along with or instead of Almighty Allah isconsidered an unpardonable sin in Islam Even if aperson claims to be Muslim but worships or prays toanything other than God it invalidates ones claim toIslam The Declaration of Faith makes it clear thatMuslims must worship Allah alone5) Is Islam fatalisticMost Muslims find it rather odd that theirreligion which strikes a remarkable balance betweenfaith and deeds are sometimes accused of beingfatalistic Perhaps this misconception came aboutbecause Muslims are known to say All praise is due toAllah whenever anything good or bad happens Thisis because Muslims know that everything comesfrom God the Creator of the universe and occurs by

His will Thus a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always- 35 -for the best whether one recognizes it or not so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changedThis does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life On thecontrary Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation To be more preciseaction is a required part of ones faith If humanbeings did not have the ability to act it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things Far from being fatalistic Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to GodIslam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate Someeven say that if Allah had willed they would nothave sinned or committed crimes All of thesearguments are completely erroneous because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibited

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

because of his impeccable and upright moralcharacter and because he conveyed the truth fromAllah - which is the pure monotheism of Islam- 34 -Muslims strive to follow the great example ofProphet Muhammad () but do not worship him inany way Islam teaches Muslims to respect all ofAllahs prophets and messengers Howeverrespecting and loving them does not meanworshipping them Muslims know that all worshipand prayer must be directed to Allah aloneIn fact the worship of Muhammad - or anyoneelse ndash along with or instead of Almighty Allah isconsidered an unpardonable sin in Islam Even if aperson claims to be Muslim but worships or prays toanything other than God it invalidates ones claim toIslam The Declaration of Faith makes it clear thatMuslims must worship Allah alone5) Is Islam fatalisticMost Muslims find it rather odd that theirreligion which strikes a remarkable balance betweenfaith and deeds are sometimes accused of beingfatalistic Perhaps this misconception came aboutbecause Muslims are known to say All praise is due toAllah whenever anything good or bad happens Thisis because Muslims know that everything comesfrom God the Creator of the universe and occurs by

His will Thus a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always- 35 -for the best whether one recognizes it or not so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changedThis does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life On thecontrary Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation To be more preciseaction is a required part of ones faith If humanbeings did not have the ability to act it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things Far from being fatalistic Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to GodIslam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate Someeven say that if Allah had willed they would nothave sinned or committed crimes All of thesearguments are completely erroneous because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibited

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

His will Thus a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always- 35 -for the best whether one recognizes it or not so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changedThis does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life On thecontrary Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation To be more preciseaction is a required part of ones faith If humanbeings did not have the ability to act it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things Far from being fatalistic Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to GodIslam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate Someeven say that if Allah had willed they would nothave sinned or committed crimes All of thesearguments are completely erroneous because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibited

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

anything that we cannot avoid because His justice iscomplete and perfect Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it- 36 -6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeathThe Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before AllahOn the Day when the earth will be changed toanother earth and so will be the heavens andthey (all creatures) will appear before Allah theOne the Irresistible [1448]The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life one that will be eternal It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deedsThe explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands If there were no lifeafter death the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless or even if one believed in Him itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deityhaving once created man and no longer being

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

concerned with his fate Surely Allah is just He willpunish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people createdgreat corruption in society enslaved numerous- 37 -persons to serve their own whims and so onBecause one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soulEach and every human being longs for justiceEven if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves For example tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to themThe reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothemAny person who has suffered injusticeirrespective of financial or social status almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punishedThough a large number of criminals are punishedmany of them get off lightly or even scot-free Theymay continue to lead pleasant even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence Allah may not punish

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

a criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim- 38 -It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world but it willremain incomplete The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good helped or taught many peoplesaved lives suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that personand where ones innermost thoughts and intentionsknown only to Allah will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectlyBelief in the Hereafter is completely logical Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life such as justice although it isusually unattainable Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives one remains convinced that the world isunjust Now why would the Creator implant in us

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

the love for something we may not experience Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out Whateveris missing here will be found there and similarlywhatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised- 39 -Finally Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills He creates whatever He wills however Hewills whenever He wills Allah the Exalted saysAs We began the first creation We will repeatit [That is] a promise binding upon Us IndeedWe shall do it [21104]- 40 -The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the BibleIn addressing this misconception it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran Allah saysDo they not reflect upon the Quran Had itbeen from [any] other than Allah they wouldhave found within it much contradiction [482]At the time the Quran was revealed the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

This in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language Moreover Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite so if this was false certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim However there are no reports of this Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage just like the message of other prophetswere rejected but none denied it for this reason- 41 -It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies realized thatas much as they tried they could not outdo or evenequal itIt is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran such as the accurateknowledge of historical events previous prophetsand natural phenomena The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things Allah saysThis is of the news of the Unseen which Wereveal unto you neither you nor your peopleknew it before this So be patient Surely the

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

(good) end is for the pious [1149]Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth it is also unequaled in its eloquence spiritualimpact clarity of message and purity of its truthFurthermore the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors Had he been the author- 42 -of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qurrsquoan For example the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the QuranThe Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam He frowned and turnedaway a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitationHe [ie the Prophet] frowned and turned awaybecause there came to him the blind man Butwhat would make you perceive [O Muhammad]

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

that perhaps he might be purified or bereminded and the reminder would benefithim [801-4]This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran nor was he the founderof Islam- 43 -Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures In reality howeverProphet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to MadinahBefore the age of twelve he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria And before his marriageat the age of 25 he led Khadijahrsquos caravan to SyriaThe most prominent Christian known to him was an

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

old blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels TheProphet () only met him twice the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod Waraqah died three years later The revelationof the Quran however continued for 23 yearsSome of Muhammadrsquos () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge Allah saidAnd We surely know that they say lsquoIt is only aman that teaches himrsquo The tongue of the one- 44 -they refer to is foreign while this [Quran] is ina clear Arabic language [16103]Muhammadrsquos enemies kept a close watch on himwith the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or ChristiansIt is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians but they tookplace openly in Madinah and the revelation of the

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

Quran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher he openly invited them to embraceIslam pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammadrsquos () messageIn addition it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered In His divine wisdom Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or- 45 -accuse him of writing or copying the Quran8Moreover there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad () Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR Saadias Gaon of 900 CE - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad ()We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quranand this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah the AlmightyIt is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad (__________) of compiling orcopying from the Bible The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones but merely point to a commonsource who is the one true God and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible And the book is delivered to him that is not learned[Isaiah 2912]- 46 -8) How does the Quran differ from otherscripturesIt is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it He theExalted saysIndeed it is We who have sent down theReminder [ie the Quran] and indeed We will be

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

its guardian [159]Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad () such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed Incontrast the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark leather parchment and boneand arranged in the order designated by the Prophet() In addition tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over In- 47 -fact with every succeeding generation of Muslimsthe number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased There is noother book religious or otherwise which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded historyThe Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message namely the invitation to the worship

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

of Allah alone The source of their message was oneAllah or Almighty God Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion they address a specific people Due tothis its rulings and regulations are particular tothem It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself saidldquoI was sent only to the lost sheep of the house(children) of Israelrdquo [Matthew 1524]On the other hand the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nationAllah saysAnd We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()]except to all of mankind as a giver of gladtidings and a Warner but most people knownot [3428]- 48 -Jesus the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other ProphetsA Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus () Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming According to theQuran he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God Jesus mother Mary is considered a

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

virtuous and noble woman and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a fatherIndeed the example of Jesus with Allah is likethat of Adam He created him from dust andthen He said to him Be and he was [359]Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers Jesus the son of Mary to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah Muslims are taughtto love Jesus and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ () Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible but- 49 -because the Quran says these things about himHowever Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus and of all other prophets wereonly possible by Allahs permission and His willMuslims reject the idea that Allah has a son TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea son Islam teaches that titles such as Lord andSavior are for Allah aloneIt should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity they are notattacking Jesus Christ () Christian doctrines suchas the Trinity and Atonement are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus () And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to Gods word but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word Muslims believe thatthe book known today as ldquoThe Biblerdquo only contains

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

remnants of Godrsquos original messages and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus notthose of the lsquodisciplesrsquo Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed- 50 -10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran In factthere is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus() Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and JesusAnd relate in the Book [the story of] Marywhen she withdrew in seclusion from herfamily to a place facing east She took inseclusion from them a screen Then We sent toher Our angel and he appeared before her as aman in all respects She said Indeed I seekrefuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you ifyou should fear Him He said I am only themessenger of your Lord to [announce to] youthe gift of a pure sonrdquo She said ldquoHow can Ihave a son when no man has touched me noram I unchaste He said Thus [it will be] Your

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

Lord says It is easy for Me and We will makehim a sign to mankind and a mercy from UsAnd it is a matter [already] decreed So sheconceived him and she withdrew with him to aremote place And the pains of childbirth droveher to the trunk of a palm tree She criedWould that I had died before this and had beenforgotten Then [Jesus] called her from beneathher Grieve not for your Lord has provided a- 51 -stream beneath you And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you So eat and drink and becontented And if you see any man say I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful so thisday I will not speak to any human being Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her peoplecarrying him They said O Mary you havedone a thing unprecedented O sister [iedescendant] of Aaron your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste So shepointed to him They said How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle [Jesus] said Iam indeed a servant of Allah He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant And peace is on methe day I was born the day I die and the day Iam raised alive That is Jesus the son of Marythe word of truth about which they dispute It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son Exalted isHe When He decrees a matter He only says to

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

it Be and it is Indeed Allah is my Lord andyour Lord so worship Him That is the straightpath [1916-36]- 52 -Islam science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and scienceIslam is not opposed to knowledge and scienceKnowledge is of two types religious which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out and temporal which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge In factIslam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah wasRead in the name of your Lord who created -created man from a clinging clot Read and yourLord is the most Generous who taught by thepen taught man that which he knew not [961-5]These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind sayingIt is He who raised among the unletteredpeople a Messenger from among themselves

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

reciting to them His verses purifying them and- 53 -teaching them the Book and wisdom althoughthey were before in manifest error [622]The early generations of Muslims became in amatter of years a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuriesIslam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah the one true GodReligious knowledge is essential becausewithout it one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner The Prophet() saidldquoTo whomever He intends benefit Allah grantsunderstanding of the religionrdquoAllah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledgeSay lsquoMy Lord increase me in knowledge[20114]Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessaryand Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men When theearly Muslims understood this fact they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries- 54 -Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine mathematics physics astronomygeography architecture art literature and history

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

to mention but a few Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra Arabicnumerals and the concept of the zero ndashwhich wasvital to the advancement of mathematics- weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments including the astrolabethe quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New WorldAs TW Wallbank and A Schrier put itldquoIn medicine mathematics astronomy chemistryand physics Muslim achievements wereparticularly noteworthy Well-equipped hospitalsusually associated with medical schools werelocated in the principal cities At a time whensuperstition still hampered the practice ofmedicine in western countries Muslim physicianswere diagnosing diseases prescribing cures andperforming advanced surgeryhellip Probably thegreatest of all physicians was the 9th centuryfigure Al-Razi known in the West as Rhazes Hewas the author of scores of scientific worksincluding a comprehensive medicalencyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook onsmallpox and measles A 10th century physician- 55 -Avicenna (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon ofMedicine which was considered the standardguide in European medical circles until the late17th centuryhellip Important advances were made inalgebra analytical geometry and plane sphericaltrigonometryrdquo9The Quran itself is a book of guidance and it

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

contains some amazing scientific facts They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago theywere not really understood by man until scientistsdiscovered them in very recent times Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person but divinerevelation from God9 Living World History Sco Forseman and Company 1990p191-2- 56 -12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb Does this not contradict medicalscienceTo answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter Allah saysVerily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hourand sends down the rain and knows what is inthe wombs [3134]And He saysAllah knows what every female carries andwhat the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceedAnd everything with Him is by due measure[138]If one reads the Arabic text of this verse they will

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

find that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender The Quranmentions only the knowledge of ldquowhatrdquo is in thewomb Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb which is incorrectToday science has indeed advanced and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanningTherefore the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence What willbe the childrsquos nature Will the child be a blessing or a- 57 -curse to the parents What will happen to him or herthroughout life Will he or she do good or evil Howlong will he or she live Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell Allah alone knows all of thisno scientist in the world no matter how advancedthe technology will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the motherrsquos womb13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm Isnt this contradictoryAllah has saidAnd We made from water every living thing[2130]And He said

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

Indeed We created you from dust [225]And He saidIndeed We have created them from stickyclay [3711]In the preceding verses Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust which when combined became clay This- 58 -refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestorAdam () Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeingsSometimes the Quran refers to semen as watermeaning fluid So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water it canindicate that everything in creation humans animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence Buta similar verse And Allah has created everycreature from water10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm This is confirmed by other versessuch as Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained11As for scientific evidence research has confirmedthat the body of man like that of other living beingsis made up predominantly of water and that the

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

elements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earthrsquos soil in greater or smallerquantities10 244511 7720- 59 -14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin IslamIn Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful Thereforealcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions For anything that causes harmis considered unlawfulAlcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial It continues to cost countlesshuman lives and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world Statistics showing soaringcrime rates increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcoholAlcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly He may even

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

urinate in his clothes If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislifeThere are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol Millionsof people die every year as a result of it A few of thealcohol related illnesses are- 60 - Cirrhosis of liver Various forms of cancer Oesophagitis gastritis and pancreatitisCardiomyopathy hypertension angina and heartattacks Strokes apoplexy fits and different types ofparalysis Peripheral neuropathy cortical atrophy cerebelaratrophy Numerous endocrine disorders Anemia jaundice and platelet abnormalities Recurrent chest infections pneumonia emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis During pregnancy alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetusMany claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

the intention of becoming an alcoholic It justhappens along the wayAllah in His infinite wisdom made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and societyHence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in- 61 -Islam It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbiddenthey do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands and by doing sothey also benefit themselves- 62 -Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress womenIn answering this question we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims Although some Muslim culturesoppress women it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent if not contrary to Islamic teachingsIslam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin theirhumanity their honor and their accountability beforeGodToday Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects The United States of America

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

is one of the leading advocates of the so-calledldquowomenrsquos liberationrdquo movement Ironically it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world According to an FBI report in theyear 1990 an average of 1756 rapes were commiedin the US every single dayThe idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a mythIslam elevated the status of women over 1400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men givingthem the right to education to the highest level theright to choose a husband the right to end an- 63 -unhappy marriage the right to inheritance ingeneral the rights of a full citizen of the state Notonly material and physical rights but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic lawMen and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilitiesIgnoring these differences is surely unrealistic but

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

there is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any wayUnder Islamic law when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden namebut keeps her distinct identityIn a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself and not to her father Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep investor spend and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives It means as well that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has- 64 -money of her own She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her familyThis relieves a woman of the need to earn a livingbut she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant itThe family like any other organization needsorder and leadership The Qurrsquoan states that thehusband has a degree of authority over his wifewhich means guardianship It is important to notehowever that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household Rather it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

16) Why do Muslim women wear the veilThe matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some especially in todayrsquos Western societieshowever Islam assigns to it moral social and legaldimensions Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress they notonly protect their own honor and reputation butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety- 65 -In general there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim womenrsquos dress Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face This mode of dress iscalled Jilbaab which refers to a womans outergarment with which she is entirely covered Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers brothers or husbands but only in obedienceto Godrsquos commandmentsBoth men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and to

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

guard their chastity Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the QuranTell the believing men to lower their gaze andguard their chastity That is purer for themIndeed Allah is acquainted with what they doAnd tell the believing women to lower theirgaze and guard their chastity and not displaytheir beauty except what [must ordinarily]appear thereof and to wrap part of their headcovers over their chests and not display theirbeauty except to their husbands their fatherstheir husbandsrsquo fathers their sons theirhusbands sons their brothers or their brotherssons or their sisters sons [2430-1]- 66 -The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection Except in thecompany of close relatives a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and handsThe Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for womenO Prophet tell your wives and daughters andthe women of the believers to draw overthemselves their outer garments [when inpublic] That is more suitable so they will beknown (to be pious believing free women) andnot be abusedhellip [3359]17) Why does Islam permit polygamyPolygamy is a form of marriage wherein a

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

person has more than one spouse Polygamy can beof two types The first type is called polygyny wherea man marries more than one woman and the otheris polyandry where a woman marries more than oneman In Islam a limited form of polygyny ispermitted whereas polyandry is completelyprohibitedIn contrast to Islam one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible According to these scriptures there- 67 -is no limit to how many women a man may marryTherefore polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well According to the Talmud Abraham hadthree wives while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950 when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wifethus prohibiting the practice for all Jews In the earlyteachings of Christianity men were permitted to take

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

as many wives as they wished since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marryIt was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to oneAt a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives Islam limited the number to amaximum of four Before the Quran was revealedthere was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives It gives a man permissionto marry two three or four women on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably benevolentlyand justly as indicated by Allahs statementBut if you fear that you will not be just thenmarry only one [43]- 68 -It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny In Islam taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited Furthermore aMuslim who has two three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wifeJohn Esposito a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University writes Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditionspolygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners In fact the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

He continues The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives provided he can support and treatthem all equally Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare and tocurb unrestricted polygamy12There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife For example if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12 John Esposito Islam The Straight Path Oxford University1988 p 97- 69 -shelter and care Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females Duringwars there are usually more men killed thanwomen Statistically more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of malesAs a result at any given time in practically any givenplace there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen Therefore even if every single man gotmarried to one woman there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find a

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

husbandIn Western society it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends or if he is married to haveextramarital affairs Seldom is this practice scorneddespite the harms that stem from it At the sametime polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effectsrather it preserves the honor and chastity of womenWithin a second third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife not a mistress she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren not a ldquoboyfriendrdquo who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnantThere is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes- 70 -prostitution fornication and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife then why canrsquot a woman have more than onehusbandIslam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals but not as identical beings They aredifferent physically biologically and physiologically

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

and each have different capabilities Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one anotherSome may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that in fairnesswomen should also be able to practice polyandryHowever the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men In general men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents both the mother and father When a man hasmore than one wife the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husbandonly the mother of children born within the marriage- 71 -would be known without resorting to laboratorytests Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents the father in particular undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma and oftenhave unhappy childhoods19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriagePunishment in Islam has a social purpose which

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

is to dissuade others from committing the samecrime The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question Nowadayssome are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measuredIslam views adultery as a very serious crimebecause it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence dissipationand dissolution Therefore it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by- 72 -imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation These punishmentsare the same for men and women alikeThere is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole There are essential conditions for

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

the application of prescribed punishments in Islam First Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible providing a lawful means ofgratification Prophet Muhammad () saidlsquoO youths whoever of you can afford marriage[financially and physically] let him get marriedfor indeed it lowers the gaze and keeps onechaste whoever cannot get married he shouldfast for it safeguards himrsquoA man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfactiona wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage Second Muslims whether married or unmarriedmust adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah- 73 - Third only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for the

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

moral life of its citizens It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions And finally any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law Conviction issubject to strict conditions which are most difficultto fulfill This means that in reality the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal and serve primarily as deterrents20) Under Islamic law why is a womanrsquos share ofinherited wealth half that of a manrsquosIslam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heirAccording to the Quran a woman automaticallyinherits from her father her husband her son andher childless brother The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries The three- 74 -verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa verses 11 12

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

and 176 In these verses Allah establishes the right ofchildren parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituationsIn most cases the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male However this is not always soThere are certain instances when they inherit equalshares and in some cases a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the manAs long as a woman remains unmarried it is thelegal obligation of her father brother or otherguardian to provide her food clothing medication

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

housing and other financial needs After she ismarried it is the duty of her husband or adult sonIslam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family- 75 -So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural physicaland emotional makeup In general the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations Despite this she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share Incontrast the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the householdso it is constantly being consumedSuppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family including his sister until shemarries Any additional income will have to beearned through his work However his sisters shareremains untouched or might even increase if sheinvests it When she marries she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained by

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

him having no financial responsibilities whatsoeverThus a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over menIn addition the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion in which he can will up to one- 76 -third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need bothmen and women One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice- 77 -Islam and Terrorism21) What is JihadWhile Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as jihad The Arabic word Jihadwhich is most always mistranslated as holy warsimply means to struggle or to exert onesutmost effort It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war for this isbut one particular aspect of the term13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injusticeoppression and evil from oneself and from societyThis struggle is spiritual social economic andpoliticalIndeed the concept of jihad is one of life and it isvast not limited only to armed conflict For example

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

one finds in the Quran mention of jihad by meansof the Quran14 meaning invitation to the truthevidence clarification and presenting the bestargument There is also jihad of the soul whichmeans striving to purify the soul to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations Thenthere is jihad through wealth which meansspending it in various beneficial ways including13 The word for war in the Qurrsquoan is ldquoharbrdquo or ldquoqitaalrdquo14 Refer to 2552- 78 -charities and welfare projects And there is jihadthrough the self which comprises all good worksdone by a believer such as propagation teachingand finally lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppressionIn the name of jihad Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom thatabolish just and moral rule that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it and that practicereligious persecution In the name of jihad itendeavors to teach belief in Allah the One supremeGod and worship of Him and to spread good valuesvirtue and morality through wise and proper

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

methods Allah has commandedInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]In the name of jihad Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance superstitionpoverty disease and racial discrimination Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential- 79 -Islam prohibits injustice even toward those whooppose the religion Allah the Exalted says in theQuranAnd do not let the hatred of a people preventyou from being just Be just that is nearer torighteousness [58]And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkahAnd do not let the hatred of a people forhaving obstructed you from the Sacred Mosquelead you to transgress [52]Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem oppress them or disregard their rightsOne of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihadAnother form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of stateAlthough Jihad is a wider concept than war it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it- 80 -becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights When Islamacknowledges military engagement it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logicWar is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue negotiations andtreaties fail War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory Itspurpose is basically the defense of life propertyland honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression22) Is Islam a militant religionIn Islam the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces This isindeed natural and logical for any nation Thenagain the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim community

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

in a very ordered and ethical way- 81 -Islam considers all life forms as sacred butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human lifeAllah says in the QuranAnd do not kill the soul which Allah hasforbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right[6151]Allah saysWhoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or forcorruption [done] in the land16 ndash it is as if he hadslain all mankind And whoever saves one ndash itis as if he had saved mankind entirely [532]Such is the value of a single human life thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanityIt is important to understand that in Islam war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach TheProphet () sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission but once security wasensured he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy15ie in legal retribution for murder16ie that requiring the death penalty- 82 -Even in a state of war Islam enjoins that armies

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

deal with the enemy justly in the battlefield Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry The Prophet () told his armiesDo not kill any old person any child or anywomanrdquo17And he saidDo not kill the monks in monasteries18Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war the list of rights is lengthy Thereshould be no torture no killing of the wounded ordefenseless no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored Inlight of the aforementioned it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression violenceinjustice or oppression At the same time it calls formorality justice tolerance and peace17 Narrated by Abu Dawud18 Narrated by Ahmad- 83 -Far from being a militant dogma Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common originO mankind indeed We created you from maleand female and made you peoples and tribesthat you may know one another Verily the most

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

noble of you in the sight of Allah is the mostrighteous of you [4913]It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism perpetrated by individuals and bystates Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future23) Are Muslims terroristsIt is very unfortunate that nowadays Islam hasbecome synonymous with terrorism Far frompromoting terrorism Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the worldIslam does not condone ldquoterrorismrdquo as defined andunderstood nowadays plane hijackings hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals This- 84 -is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems achieve their goals or to spread theirreligionThe question that should be posed instead is Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorismCertainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers To be evenhanded and just one

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

must consider the teachings of the religion as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrongIt is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world In fact what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions Former pop singerCat Stevens now known as Yousef Islam observedIt is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall- 85 -Islam is a religion of peace which is acquired bysubmitting onersquos will to the will of the supremeCreator God Islam promotes peace but at the sametime it exhorts its followers to fight oppression Thefight against oppression may at times require theuse of force and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peaceCertainly Islamic law allows war under

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

particular circumstances Any religion or civilizationthat does not would never survive But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people women orchildren Islam also clearly forbids taking the law intoones own hands which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge24) How can Islam be called a ldquoreligion of peacerdquowhen it was ldquospread by the swordrdquoIt is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world had it not beenspread by the use of forceThe following proofs will make it clear that farfrom being forcefully ldquospread by the swordrdquo it- 86 -was the inherent force of truth reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itselfThere shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of]the religion The right course has become clearfrom the wrong [2256]

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

The noted historian De Lacy OrsquoLeary wrote19History makes it clear however that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeatedAnother famous historian Thomas Carlyle inhis book Heroes and Hero worship refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam Thesword indeed but where will you get your swordEvery new opinion at its starting is precisely in aminority of one in one manrsquos head alone There itdwells as yet One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it there is one man against all men Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him You must get your sword Onthe whole a thing will propagate itself as it can19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads p8- 87 -If Islam was indeed spread by the sword it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people The Quran says inthis connectionInvite to the way of your Lord with wisdomand good instruction and argue with them in away that is best [16125]The facts speak for themselves Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims But no Muslim

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

army ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war but because of its moralmessage Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by ittheir original inhabitants have remained MuslimsMoreover they carried the message of truth invitingothers to it as well and in so doing endured harmaffliction and oppression The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan Egypt IraqNorth Africa Asia the Balkans and in Spain Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists finally compelled to leave lands- 88 -whose peoples held only memories of afflictionsorrow subjugation and oppression Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years During this period the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions and this is a documented historical fact Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuriesCountries such as Egypt Morocco PalestineLebanon Syria and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations Muslims ruled India for about a thousand yearsand therefore had the power to force each and every

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

non-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam butthey did not and thus more than 80 of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim Similarly Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa An article in Readerrsquos Digest lsquoAlmanacrsquo yearbook1986 gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984 This article also- 89 -appeared in The Plain Truth magazine At the topwas Islam which increased by 235 whileChristianity had increased by 47 During this fiyyearperiod there was no ldquoIslamic conquestrdquo yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate Today the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica Europe and Africa is Islam The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic worldIslamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

up their own courts which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or notIt is clear therefore that Islam was not spread bythe sword The often-alleged sword of Islam didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries In India where Muslims ruled for about athousand years they are still a minority In theUSA and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers- 90 -In his book The Worlds Religions Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim ruleThe Prophet had a document drawn up in whichhe stipulated that Jews and Christians shall beprotected from all insults and harm they shallhave an equal right with our own people to ourassistance and good offices and further theyshall practice their religion as freely as theMuslims20Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them Does this

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

mean that Islam promotes violence bloodshed andbrutalityThere are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20 Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith HarperCollins 1991 p 256- 91 -of Islam The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence bloodshed and brutalityIn order to understand the context it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah The pagans violated thistreaty so a period of four months was given them tomake amends otherwise war would be declaredagainst them The complete verse actually saysBut when the sacred months have passed thenkill the polytheists wherever you find them andseize them and besiege them and lie in wait forthem at every place of ambush But if theyshould repent establish prayer and give Zakahthen open the way for them Indeed Allah isForgiving and Merciful [95]This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans whosoon violated the agreement to fight and kill those

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

who betrayed them wherever they found them Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as ldquoevidencerdquo that Islampromotes violence brutality and bloodshed or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam- 92 -The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence brutalityand bloodshed21 It saysIf any one of the pagans asks you for asylumthen grant it to him so that he may hear thewords of Allah [ie the Quran] Then escort himto where he is safe That is because they are apeople who do not know [96]The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge but also that he is escorted to safety In thepresent age what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battlebut to escort him to a place of safety Yet that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran21 Arun Shourie one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia quotes the same verse (95) in his book The World of

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

Fatwas p 572 But aer quoting it he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism- 93 -Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabsThis idea can be easily be disproved as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an ArabHowever history testifies that the Prophet ()his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nationsraces and peoples From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and racesAmong them was Bilal the African slave Suhaib theByzantine Roman Abdullah bin Salam the JewishRabbi and Salman the PersianFurthermore it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are MuslimsAn Arab might be a Muslim Christian Jew atheist

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

or follower of any other religion or ideologyAdditionally some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to beArab are not Arab at all The people who live in- 94 -those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritageSince religious truth is eternal and unchangingand humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent clear anduniversal The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race nationality cultural or linguisticbackground A brief look at the Muslim World fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam The Quran clearlysaysAnd We have not sent you (O Muhammad)except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner toall mankind but most men know not [3428]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds so why should a person followIslamIn the Quran Allah saysThis day I have perfected for you your

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

religion completed My favor upon you andhave chosen for you Islam as your religion [53]- 95 -He also saysTruly the religion with Allah is Islam [319]And He saysAnd whosoever seeks a religion other thanIslam never will it be accepted from him and inthe Hereafter he will be among the losers [385]Islam is Allahs final message and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religionsWithout doubt one will find in every religionespecially those of divine origins such as JudaismChristianity and Islam noble teachings good moralvalues encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil However what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment Itgives practical solutions to manrsquos problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness and

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

eliminating evil from individual and collective livesIslam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who- 96 -knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man- 97 -A Final WordWe would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach Thomas Carlyle saidA false man found a religion Why a falseman cannot build a brick house If he does notknow and follow truly the properties ofmortar burnt clay and what else he works init is no house that he makes but a rubbishheapIt will not stand for twelve centuries tolodge a hundred and eighty millions it willfall straightway A man must conform himselfto Naturersquos laws be verily in communion withNature and the truth of things or Nature willanswer him No not at all Speciosities arespecious - ah me - a Cagliostro manyCagliostros prominent world-leaders do

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

prosper by their quackery for a day It is like aforged bank-note they get it passed out oftheir worthless hands others not they have to- 98 -smart for it Nature bursts up in fire-flamesFrench Revolutions and such like proclaimingwith terrible veracity that forged notes areforged But of a Great Man especially of him Iwill venture to assert that it is incredible heshould have been other than true It seems tome the primary foundation of him and of allthat can lie in him is this22Finally we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of IslamRather it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere practicingMuslims By rereading the introductory section ofthis book one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlifeMay Allah guide us all to the truth22 lsquoHeroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in Historyrsquo- 99 -Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout IslamAl Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah aqidah fiqh

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent

and many others Special attention however is given toissues of interest to the entire familyAl Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions)Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustratedGreat stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmannerIslamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society AlJumuah gives them their share of itBook reviews and translations are included thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars both past andpresent