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Islam In Brief
الإسلام باختصار 2
الإسلام باختصار 2
The Scientific Fact:-
The body of Pharaoh was invited to France. Pharaoh was presented in France as a respectful king even though he was dead many centuries ago. A good number of scholars in medicine has greeted that body and received in their laboratories. An outstanding doctor, Maurice Bucaille, had been studying the body of Pharaoh for three days. This doctor has discovered that the main reason of Pharaoh's death was drowning. He confirmed this utter fact to his friends. One of the doctors had told him that this went in tandem with what the Muslims claimed its confirmation in the Holy Qur'an. All of a sudden, Doctor Bucaille said: "This must not be a word of a man but the Holy Word of God!" Doctor Bucaille went to Saudi Arabia in a scientific seminar. He asked about the drowning of the body of Pharaoh that had been mentioned in the Holy Qur'an as well as he mentioned that he himself discovered the fact while treating the body of Pharaoh. As soon as he had seen the verses of the Qur'an, he spontaneously stated, "there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah". He has written a marvelous book whose title is: Science in the Bible and the Holy Qur'an". This Book has confirmed many scientific matters that are simply in harmony with the holy verses of the Qur'an.
c- The Lowest Area on Earth:
{{The Romans have been defeated. In the nearer land (Syria, Iraq, Jordan, and Palestine), and they, after their defeat, will be victorious. Within three to nine years. The decision of the matter, before and after (these events) is only with Allâh, (before the defeat of Romans by the Persians, and after, i.e. the defeat of the Persians by the Romans). And on that Day, the believers (i.e. Muslims) will rejoice (at the victory given by Allâh to the Romans against the Persians), With the help of Allâh, He helps whom He wills, and He is the All¬Mighty, the Most Merciful. (It is) a Promise of Allâh (i.e. Allâh will give victory to the Romans against the Persians), and Allâh fails not in His Promise, but most of men know not.}} (Holy Qur'an 30:1-6)
The Scientific Fact:-
History books tell us about a battle between the Persian and the Byzantine empires – the latter signifies the eastern part of the Roman Empire - which was located in the area between Adhra`at and Basra, near the Dead Sea. The battle, which occurred in 619 A.C., ended with the victory of the Persians.
The Romans received a severe blow in that battle and everyone at that time expected their kingdom to fall. Surprisingly, they were engaged in another battle in 622 A.C. in the area of Nineveh where they defeated the Persians and occupied many areas. Some months later, the Byzantines signed an agreement with the Persians according to which they returned all previously occupied areas.
Geographical atlases show that the lowest spot on the surface of the earth is the area near the Dead Sea where the surface of the earth is as low as 395 meters below sea level. Photos taken by satellites support this fact.
Not to mention that the pagan Quraysh of Mecca rejoiced at the overthrow of Rome by Persia. They were pro-Persian, and in their heart of hearts they hoped that the nascent movement of Islam, which at that time was, from a worldly point of view, very weak and helpless, would also collapse under their persecution. But they misread the true Signs of the times. They are told here that they would soon be disillusioned in their calculations, and it actually so happened at the battle of Issus in 622 (the year of Hijrat) and in 624, when Heraclius carried his campaign into the heart of Persia and the Meccan Quraysh were beaten off at Badr. (Footnote of The Holy Qur'an English Translation in the Madinah, p1176/3506)
d- The Qur’an on the Origin of the Universe:
The science of modern cosmology, observational and theoretical, clearly indicates that, at one point in time, the whole universe was nothing but a cloud of ‘smoke’ (i.e. an opaque highly dense and hot gaseous composition).1 This is one of the undisputed principles of standard modern cosmology. Scientists now can observe new stars forming out of the remnants of that ‘smoke’.
The illuminating stars we see at night were, just as was the whole universe, in that ‘smoke’ material. Allah has said in the Qur’an:
{{…Then He Istawâ (rose over) towards the heaven when it was smoke.}}
(Holy Qur'an 41:11)
Because the earth and the heavens above (the sun, the moon, stars, planets, galaxies, etc.) have been formed from this same ‘smoke,’ we conclude that the earth and the heavens were one connected entity. Then out of this homogeneous ‘smoke,’ they formed and separated from each other. Allah has said in the Qur’an:
{{Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth were joined together as one united piece, then We parted them? And We have made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?}} (Holy Qur'an 21: 30)
Dr. Alfred Kroner is one of the world’s renowned geologists. He is Professor of Geology and the Chairman of the Department of Geology at the Institute of Geosciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany. He said:
“Thinking where Muhammad came from . . . I think it is almost impossible that he could have known about things like the common origin of the universe, because scientists have only found out within the last few years, with very complicated and advanced technological methods, that this is the case.”
Also he said:
“Somebody who did not know something about nuclear physics fourteen hundred years ago could not, I think, be in a position to find out from his own mind, for instance, that the earth and the heavens had the same origin.”
Ref:
- The First Three Minutes, a Modern View of the Origin of the Universe, Weinberg, pp. 94-105.
e- The Qur’an on Mountains:
A book entitled Earth is a basic reference textbook in many universities around the world. One of its two authors is Professor Emeritus Frank Press. He was the Science Advisor to former US President Jimmy Carter, and for 12 years was the President of the National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC. His book says that mountains have underlying roots. These roots are deeply embedded in the ground, thus, mountains have a shape like a peg. This is how the Qur’an has described mountains. Allah has said in the Qur’an:
{{And the mountains as pegs...}} (Holy Qur'an 78: 7)
Modern earth sciences have proven that mountains have deep roots under the surface of the ground and that these roots can reach several times their elevations above the surface of the ground. 1 So the most suitable word to describe mountains on the basis of this information is the word ‘peg,’ since most of a properly set peg is hidden under the surface of the ground.
The history of science tells us that the theory of mountains having deep roots was introduced only in 1865 by the Astronomer Royal, Sir George Airy. 2 Mountains also play an important role in stabilizing the crust of the earth. 3 They hinder the shaking of the earth. Allah has said in the Qur’an:
{{And He has affixed into the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you,..}}
(Holy Qur'an 21: 30)
Likewise, the modern theory of plate tectonics holds that mountains work as stabilizers for the earth. This knowledge about the role of mountains as stabilizers for the earth has just begun to be understood in the framework of plate tectonics since the late 1960’s.
Could anyone during the time of the Prophet Muhammad have known of the true shape of mountains?
Could anyone imagine that the solid massive mountain which he sees before him actually extends deep into the earth and has a root, as scientists affirm? Modern geology has confirmed the truth of the Qur’anic verses.
Ref: - Earth, Press and Siever, p. 435. Also see Earth Science, Tarbuck and Lutgens, p. 157.
- The Geological Concept of Mountains in the Qur’an, El-Naggar,p. 5. p. 44-45
f- The Qur’an on Clouds:
Scientists have studied cloud types and have realized that rain clouds are formed and shaped according to definite systems and certain steps connected with certain types of wind and clouds.
One kind of rain cloud is the cumulonimbus cloud. Meteorologists have studied how cumulonimbus clouds are formed and how they produce rain, hail, and lightning.
They have found that cumulonimbus clouds go through the following steps to produce rain:
1) The clouds are pushed by the wind: Cumulonimbus clouds begin to form when wind pushes some small pieces of clouds (cumulus clouds) to an area where these clouds converge.
2) Joining: Then the small clouds join together forming a larger cloud.
3) Stacking: When the small clouds join together, updrafts within the larger cloud increase. The updrafts near the center of the cloud are stronger than those near the edges. These updrafts cause the cloud body to grow vertically, so the cloud is stacked up. This vertical growth causes the cloud body to stretch into cooler regions of the atmosphere, where drops of water and hail formulate and begin to grow larger and larger. When these drops of water and hail become too heavy for the updrafts to support them, they begin to fall from the cloud as rain, hail, etc...
Allah has said in the Qur’an:
{{See you not that Allâh drives the clouds gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap of layers, and you see the rain comes forth from between them. And He sends down from the sky hail (like) mountains, and strike therewith whom He will, and averts it from whom He wills. The vivid flash of its (clouds) lightning nearly blinds the sight.}}
(Holy Qur'an 24: 43)
Meteorologists have only recently come to know these details of cloud formation, structure, and function by using advanced equipment like planes, satellites, computers, balloons, and other equipment, to study wind and its direction, to measure humidity
and its variations, and to determine the levels and variations of atmospheric pressure.
The preceding verse, after mentioning clouds and rain, speaks about hail and lightning:
{{.... And He sends down from the sky hail (like) mountains, and strike therewith whom He will, and averts it from whom He wills. The vivid flash of its (clouds) lightning nearly blinds the sight.}}
(Holy Qur'an 24: 43)
Urologists have found that these cumulonimbus clouds, that shower hail, reach a height of 25,000 to 30,000 ft (4.7 to 5.7 miles),2 like mountains, as the Qur’an said: {{.... And He sends down from the sky hail (like) mountains,}}
This verse may raise a question. Why does the verse say “its lightning” in a reference to the hail? Does this mean that hail is the major factor in producing lightning? Let us see what the book entitled Meteorology Today says about this. It says that a cloud becomes electrified as hail falls through a region in the cloud of super cooled droplets and ice crystals. As liquid droplets collide with a hailstone, they freeze on contact and release latent heat.
This keeps the surface of the hailstone warmer than that of the surrounding ice crystals. When the hailstone comes in contact with an ice crystal, an important phenomenon occurs: electrons flow from the colder object toward the warmer object. Hence, the hailstone becomes negatively charged. The same effect occurs when supercooled droplets come in contact with a hailstone and tiny splinters of positively charged ice break off.
These lighter positively charged particles are then carried to the upper part of the cloud by updrafts. The hail, left with a negative charge, falls towards the bottom of the cloud, thus the lower part of the cloud becomes negatively charged. These negative charges are then discharged as lightning. 1 We conclude from this that hail is the major factor in producing lightning.
This information on lightning was discovered recently. Until 1600 AD, Aristotle’s ideas on meteorology were dominant. For example, he said that the atmosphere contains two kinds of exhalation, moist and dry. He also said that thunder is the sound of the collision of the dry exhalation with the neighbouring clouds, and lightning is the inflaming and burning of the dry exhalation with a thin and faint fire.1 These are some of the ideas on meteorology that were dominant at the time of the Qur’an’s revelation, fourteen centuries ago.
Also:
Allah Said in Holly Qur’an:
{{And We send the winds fertilizing (to fill heavily the clouds with water), then caused the water (rain) to descend from the sky, and We gave it to you to drink, and it is not you who are the owners of its stores [i.e. to give water to whom you like or to withhold it from whom you like].}} (Holy Qur'an 15:22)
The previous chapter of Holy Qur'an , includes a great scientific fact , where the wind has a part in the inoculation of some plants , and also the word can be used to show the effect of winds to collect different clouds with two different electric charges ( positive & negative ) , in which is considered as a marriage or an inoculation.
Ref.:
- Atmosphere, Anthes and others, pp. 268-269, and Elements of Meteorology, Miller and Thompson, p. 141.
- Meteorology Today, Ahrens, p. 437.
- The Works of Aristotle Translated into English: Meteorologica, vol. 3, Ross and others, pp. 369a-369b.
g-The Qur’an on Deep Seas and Internal Waves:
Allah has said in the Qur’an:
{{ Or [the state of a disbeliever] is like the darkness in a vast deep sea, overwhelmed with a great wave topped by a great wave, topped by dark clouds, darkness, one above another, if a man stretches out his hand, he can hardly see it! And he for whom Allâh has not appointed light, for him there is no light...}}
(Holly Qur’an, 24:40)
This verse mentions the darkness found in deep seas and oceans, where if a man stretches out his hand, he cannot see it. The darkness in deep seas and oceans is found around a depth of 200 meters and below. At this depth, there is almost no light. Below a depth of 1000 meters there is no light at all. Human beings are not able to dive more than forty meters without the aid of submarines or special equipment. Human beings cannot survive unaided in the deep dark part of the oceans, such as at a depth of 200 meters.
Scientists have recently discovered this darkness by means of special equipment and submarines that have enabled them to dive into the depths of the oceans.
We can also understand from the following sentences in the previous verse, “...in a vast deep sea, overwhelmed with a great wave topped by a great wave, topped by dark clouds, darkness,...”, that the deep waters of seas and oceans are covered by waves, and above these waves are other waves. It is clear that the second sets of waves are the surface waves that we see, because the verse mentions that above the second waves there are clouds, But what about the first waves? Scientists have recently discovered that there are internal waves which “occur on density interfaces between layers of different densities.” The internal waves cover the deep waters of seas and oceans because the deep waters have a higher density than the waters above them. Internal waves act like surface waves. They can also break, just like surface waves. Internal waves cannot be seen by the human eye, but they can be detected by studying temperature or salinity changes at a given location.
Ref: Oceans, Elder and Pernetta, p. 27. - Oceanography, Gross, p. 205.
2-Challenge to Produce Like the Holy Qur'an
Allah has said in the Qur'an:
{{And if you (Arab pagans, Jews, and Christians) are in doubt concerning that which We have sent down (i.e. the Qur'an) to Our slave (Muhammad Peace be upon him), then produce a Surah (chapter) of the like thereof and call your witnesses (supporters and helpers) besides Allâh, if you are truthful. But if you do it not, and you can never do it, then fear the Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the disbelievers.}} (Holly Qur’an 2: 23-24)
Ever since the Qur'an was revealed, fourteen centuries ago, no one has been able to produce a single chapter like the chapters of the Qur'an in their beauty, eloquence, splendor, wise legislation, true information, true prophecy, and other perfect attributes. Also, note that the smallest chapter in the Qur'an (Chapter 108) is only ten words, yet no one has ever been able to meet this challenge, then or today. Some of the disbelieving Arabs who were enemies of the Prophet Muhammad-peace be upon him- tried to meet this challenge to prove that Muhammad -peace be upon him- was not a true prophet, but they failed to do so. This failure was despite the fact that the Holy Qur'an was revealed in their own language and dialect and that the Arabs at the time of Muhammad -peace be upon him- were very eloquent people who used to compose beautiful and excellent poetry, still read and appreciated today.
3-Islam is Foretold in the Holy Book:
In Deuteronomy 18, Prophet Moses stated that God told him: “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.” (Deuteronomy 18:18-19)
From these verses we conclude that the prophet in this prophecy must have the following three characteristics:
1) That he will be like Moses.
2) That he will come from the brothers of the Israelites, i.e. the Ishmaelites.
3) That God will put His words in to the mouth of this prophet and that he will declare what God commands him.
Let us examine these three characteristics in more depth:
a) A prophet like Moses:
There were hardly any two prophets who were so much alike as Moses and Muhammad. Both were given a comprehensive law and code of life. They both had encountered their enemies and were victorious in miraculous ways. They both were accepted as prophets and statesmen. They both migrated following conspiracies to assassinate them. Analogies between Moses and Jesus overlook not only the above similarities but other crucial ones as well. These include the natural birth, the family life, and the death of Moses and Muhammad. All these facts differentiate Moses from Jesus, peace be upon them. Moreover Jesus was regarded by his followers as the Son of God and not exclusively as a prophet of God, as Moses and Muhammad were and as Muslims believe Jesus was. So, this prophecy refers to the Prophet Muhammad-peace be upon him- and not to Jesus, because Muhammad is more similar to Moses than Jesus.
Also, one notices from the Gospel of John that the Jews were waiting for the fulfillment of three distinct prophecies. The first was the coming of Christ. The second was the coming of Elijah. The third was the coming of the Prophet. This is obvious from the three questions that were posed to John the Baptist:
“Now this was John’s testimony, when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Christ.” They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” (John 1:19-21).
If we look in a Bible with cross-references, we will find in the marginal notes where the word “the Prophet” occurs in John 1:21 is the same one that refers to the prophecy of Deuteronomy 18:15 and 18:18.2. Accordingly, we conclude from this gauging that Jesus Christ is not the prophet mentioned in Deuteronomy 18:18.
b) From the brothers of the Israelites:
Abraham had two sons, Ishmael and Isaac (Genesis 21). Ishmael became the grandfather of the Arab nation, and Isaac became the grandfather of the Jewish nation. The prophet spoken of was not to come from among the Jews themselves, but from among their brothers, i.e. the Ishmaelites. Muhammad, a descendant of Ishmael, is indeed this prophet.
Also, Isaiah 42:1-13 speaks of the servant of God, His “chosen one” and “messenger” who will bring down a law. “He will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope.” (Isaiah 42:4). Verse 11, connects that awaited one with the descendants of Kedar. Who is Kedar? According to Genesis 25:13, Kedar was the second son of Ishmael, the ancestor of the Prophet Muhammad {peace be upon him}.
c) God will put His words in the mouth of this prophet:
The words of God (the Holy Qur'an) were truly put into Muhammad’s mouth. Allah Almighty sent the Angel Gabriel to teach Muhammad the exact words of God (the Holy Qur'an) and asked him to dictate them to the people as he heard them. The words are therefore not his own. They did not come from his own thoughts, but were put into his mouth by the Angel Gabriel. During the life time of Muhammad-peace be upon him- and under his supervision, these words were then memorized and written by his companions.
Also, this prophecy in Deuteronomy mentioned that this prophet will speak the words of God in the name of God. If we looked to the Holy Qur'an, we will find that all its chapters, except Chapter 9, are preceded or begin with the phrase, “In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.”
Another indication (other than the prophecy in Deuteronomy) is that Isaiah ties the messenger connected with Kedar with a new song (a scripture in a new language) to be sung to the Lord (Isaiah 42:10-11). This is mentioned more clearly in the prophecy of Isaiah: “and another tongue, he will speak to this people” (Isaiah 28:11 KJV). Another related point focuses on the revelation of the Holy Qur'an in sections over a span of twenty-three years. It is interesting to compare this with Isaiah 28 which speaks of the same thing, “For it is: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there.” (Isaiah 28:10)
Chapter Five
Top misconceptions about Islam
1. Muslims are violent, terrorists
This is the biggest misconception in Islam. It is no doubt resulting from the constant stereotyping and bashing the misshapen features of Muslims through the use of the media. When a gunman attacks a mosque in the name of Judaism, a Catholic IRA guerrilla sets off a bomb in an urban area, or Serbian Orthodox militiamen rape and kill innocent Muslim civilians, these acts are not used to stereotype an entire faith. Never are these acts attributed to the religion of the perpetrators. Yet how many times have we heard the words 'Islamic, Muslim fundamentalist, etc.' linked with violence.
Politics in so called "Muslim countries" may or may not have any Islamic basis. Often dictators and politicians will use the name of Islam for their own purposes. One should remember to go to the source of Islam and separate what the true religion of Islam says from what is portrayed in the media. Islam literally means 'submission to God' and is derived from a root word that substantially means 'peace'.
Islam may seem exotic or even extreme in the modern world. Perhaps this is because religion doesn't dominate everyday life in the West, whereas Islam is considered a 'way of life' for Muslims and they make no division between secular and sacred in their lives. Like Christianity, Islam permits fighting in self-defense, in defense of religion, or on the part of those who have been expelled forcibly from their homes. It lays down strict rules of combat which include prohibitions against harming civilians and destroying crops, trees and livestock.
NOWHERE DOES ISLAM ENJOIN THE KILLING OF INNOCENTS....The Holy Qur'an says:
{{And fight in the Way of Allâh those who fight you, but transgress not the limits. Truly, Allâh likes not the transgressors.}} (Holly Qur’an 2:190)
{{But if they incline to peace, you also incline to it, and (put your) trust in Allâh. Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower}} (Holly Qur’an 8: 61)
War, therefore, is the last resort, and is subject to the rigorous conditions laid down by the sacred law. The term 'jihad' literally means 'struggle'. Muslims believe that there are two kinds of jihad. The other 'jihad' is the inner struggle of the soul which everyone wages against egotistic desires for the sake of attaining inner peace, happy life in the mundane world and in the Hereafter.
2: Islam oppresses women:
The images of the typical Muslim woman include wearing the veil, being forced to stay home, and are forbidden to drive vehicles are all common in most of peoples' thoughts. Although some Muslim countries may have laws that oppress women, this should not be considered as coming from Islam. Many of these countries do not rule by any kind of Shari'ah (Islamic law), but rather they introduce their own cultural standpoints on the issue of gender equity.
Islam on the other hand gives men and women different roles and equity between the two is laid down in the Holy Qur'an and the example of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Islam sees a woman, whether single or married, as a respectful individual in the society who has rights to own and dispose of her property and earnings. A marriage gift is given by the groom to the bride for her own personal use, and she keeps her own family name rather than taking her husband's name. Both men and women are expected to dress in a way that is modest and dignified.
The Messenger of God (peace be upon him) said: "The most perfect in faith amongst believers is he who is best in manner and kindest to his wife."
Violence of any kind towards women and forcing them against their will for anything is not allowed in Islam. A Muslim marriage is a simple, legal agreement in which either partner is free to include conditions.
Marital customs thus vary widely from country to country. Divorce is not common, although it is acceptable as a last resort. According to Islam, a Muslim girl cannot be forced to marry against her will: her parents simply suggest young men they think may be suitable to her. This is the freedom of Islam that gives it to woman while she has no right to do anything in the darkness age of Europe.
3: Muslims worship a different God:
Allah is simply the Arabic word for God. Allah is for Muslims the greatest and most inclusive of the Names of God. It is an Arabic word that contains a rich meaning, denoting the one and only God and ascribing no partners to Him. It is exactly the same word which the Jews, in Hebrew, use for God (Elohe), the word which Jesus Christ used in Aramaic when he prayed to God. God has an identical name in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; Allah is the same God worshipped by Muslims, Christians and Jews. Muslims believe that Allah's sovereignty is to be acknowledged in worship and in the pledge to obey His teaching and commandments, conveyed through His messengers and prophets who were sent at various times and in many places throughout history. However, it should be noted that God in Islam is One and Only. He, the Exalted, does not get tired, does not have a son (i.e. Jesus) or have associates, nor does He have human-like attributions as found in the other faiths which are thought to be changed through the run of history.
4: Islam was spread by the sword and is intolerant of other faiths:
Many social studies textbooks for students show the image of an Arab horseman carrying a sword in one hand and the Holy Qur'an in the other conquering and forcibly converting. This, though, is not a correct
Portrayal of history. Islam has always given respect and freedom of religion to all faiths. The Holy Qur'an says:
{{Allâh does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion and did not drive you out of your homes. Verily, Allâh loves those who deal with equity.}} (Holly Qur’an 60:8)
Freedom of religion is laid down in the Holy Qur'an itself:
{{There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in Tâghût and believes in Allâh, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. And Allâh is All-Hearer, All-Knower.}} (Holly Qur’an 2: 256)
Christian missionary, T.W. Arnold had this opinion on his study of the question of Islam's spread: "...of any organized attempt to force the acceptance of Islam on the non-Muslim population, or of any systematic persecution intended to stamp out the Christian religion, we hear nothing. Had the caliphs chosen to adopt either course of action, they might have swept away Christianity as easily as Ferdinand and Isabella drove Islam out of Spain, or Louis XIV made Protestantism..."
It is a function of Islamic law to protect the privileged status of minorities, and this is why non-Muslim places of worship have flourished all over the Islamic world. History provides many examples of Muslim tolerance towards other faiths: when the caliph Omar entered Jerusalem in the year 634, Islam granted freedom of worship to all religious communities in the city. Proclaiming to the inhabitants that their lives, and property were safe, and that their places of worship would never be taken from them, he asked the Christian patriarch Sophronius to accompany him on a visit to all the holy places. The Christians of Jerusalem are keeping till today the covenant of Omar, the second Caliph in Islam. Islamic law also permits non-Muslim minorities to set up their own courts, which implement family laws drawn up by the minorities themselves. The life and property of all citizens in an Islamic state are considered sacred whether the person is Muslim or not.
One has to tell that there was a Muslim soldier who has trespassed the rights of a Jewish man in Iraq after defeating the Persian Empire. This Muslim soldier had pillaged the house of the Jewish man who himself went to the Madinah to complain about this misdemeanor. As soon as the Caliph Omar heard about this plunder, he sued this soldier not only to give back the house to the Jewish man, but also to be punished for his bad deed that has not a jot of relationship with Islam.
Racism is not a part of Islam, the Holy Qur'an speaks only of human equality and how all peoples are equal in the sight of God.
{{O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you with Allâh is that (believer) who has At-Taqwa [i.e. one of the Muttaqûn (pious)]. Verily, Allâh is All-Knowing, All-Aware.}}
(Holly Qur’an 49:13)
This Holy verse was not only a statement in the Holy Qur'an, but also a real fact in the Muslim world especially at the time that Muslims were used to follow the Holy orders word by word to the point they got a great empire in 25 years at the time that the Romans have spent 700 years to settle their great empire. For instance, Amr Ibn AlAs, one of Muslim leaders who used to be monitoring Egypt under the agreement of the Caliph Omar, had a son who vied with an Egyptian guy.
Thereafter, when the son lost the race competition, he has beaten up the Egyptian guy while uttering: do you overcome me and I am the son of the nobles! The Egyptian young man was deeply hurt, and he went to the Madinah to complain against the son of this leader. The Caliph Omar arraigned Amr Ibn AlAs and his son to his court; then, he said to the Egyptian young man:
"I want you to beat up the son of the nobles and the noble man (who is the governor of Egypt-Amr Ibn AlAs!". The Egyptian man said: O Caliph of the faithful, I just want to beat up the son of our governor for he had hurt me!"
Pausing here for a moment, the Caliph Omar, may Allah be praised with him, turned to the governor of Egypt and said a historical sentence, ''O Amr! Since when did you enslave the people whom their mothers had brought to the world free!"
On the heat of the moment, I should mention a discussion has been with one of my best American friends. She asked about the truth of the fact that Islam had been widespread by the power of the swords. I told her,' Look Nancy, Islam was just the Saudi Arabia, then it has been spread almost everywhere…many Muslim scholars who have protected Islam are not Arabs, but they are from Russia, Perse, and other places; for example, Imam Al Bukhari and Imam Muslim.
Nowadays the Arabs are very weak, but look around you: Turkey that used to be the second Christian place (Constantinople) after Rome is still Islamic many years after the weakness of the Arab Muslims…It is the same thing for Malaysia, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Bosnia, Kosovo, the Middle East, Egypt etc…What is the reason that let them keep their religion even though they many times suffer because of adopting a religious life and loving Allah Almighty…there is no mundane power that compels them to convert to Islam…They are Muslims because they want to seek the path of comfort, soulful *******, and perennial happy life. They are still Muslims because they found themselves within the glistening of the Holy Words that come directly from the Lord of the World.
5: All Muslims are Arabs:
The Muslim population of the world is around 1, 2 billion. One out of five people in the world is a Muslim. They are a vast range of races, nationalities, and cultures from around the globe--from the Philippines to Nigeria--they are united by their common Islamic faith. Only about 18% live in the Arab world and the largest Muslim community is in Indonesia. Most Muslims live east of Pakistan. Thirty percent of Muslims live in the Indian subcontinent, 20% in Sub-Saharan Africa, 17% in Southeast Asia, 18% in the Arab world, and 10% in the Soviet Union and China. Turkey, Iran, and Afghanistan make up 10% of the non-Arab Middle East. Although there are Muslim minorities in almost every area, including Latin America and Australia, they are most numerous in Russia and its newly independent states, India and central Africa. There are about 6 million Muslims in the United States.
6: All Muslim men marry four wives:
The religion of Islam was revealed for all societies and all times, and as it is, it accommodates widely differing social requirements. Circumstances may warrant the taking of another wife but the right is granted, according to the Holy Qur'an, only on condition that the husband is scrupulously fair. No woman can be forced into this kind of marriage if they do not wish it, and they also have the right to exclude it in their marriage contract.
Polygamy is neither mandatory, nor encouraged, but merely permitted. Images of "sheikhs with harems" are not consistent with Islam, as a man is only allowed at most four wives only if he can fulfill the stringent conditions of treating each fairly and providing each with separate housing etc. Permission to practice polygamy is not associated with mere satisfaction of passion. It is rather associated with compassion toward widows and orphans. It was the Holy Qur'an that limited and put conditions on the practice of polygamy among the Arabs, who had as many as ten or more wives and considered, them "property".
It is both honest and accurate to say that it is Islam that regulated this practice, limited it, made it more humane, and instituted equal rights and status for all wives. What the Qur'anic decrees amount to, taken together is discouragement of polygamy unless necessity for it exists. It is also evident that the general rule in Islam is monogamy and not polygamy. It is a very tiny percentage of Muslims that practice it over the world. However, permission to practice limited polygamy is only consistent with Islam's realistic view of the nature of man and woman and of various social needs, problems and cultural variations.
The question is, however far more than the inherent flexibility of Islam; it also is the frank and straightforward approach of Islam in dealing with practical problems. Rather than requiring hypocritical and superficial compliance, Islam delves deeper into the problems of individuals and societies, and provides for legitimate and clean solutions which are far more beneficial than would be the case if they were ignored. There is no doubt that the second wife legally married and treated kindly is better off than a mistress without any legal rights or permanence. It is quite true that man in the United States of America and Europe gets married to a one woman, but alas, the percentage of the betrayal of the husbands trespasses the number of four that is legally accepted in Islam. A Western man marries only one woman, but meanwhile, he can have an abundant number of illegal relationships with other women! Islam restricted this chaos by imposing the rules of polygamy with quite certain rules that keep the honour of the woman as a respectful human being and not a mere device for pleasure.
7: Muslims are barbaric and backward people:
Among the reasons for the rapid and peaceful spread of Islam was the simplicity of its doctrine. Islam calls for faith in only one God Who is worthy to worship. It also repeatedly instructs man to use his powers of intelligence and observation. Within few years, great civilizations and universities were flourishing, for according to the Prophet peace be upon him, 'seeking knowledge is an obligation for every Muslim man and woman'.
The synthesis of Eastern and Western ideas that have correlated the new thought to the old one, have engendered because of the Muslims' efforts great advances in medicine, mathematics, physics, astronomy, geography, architecture, art, literature, and history. Many crucial systems such as algebra, the Arabic numerals, and also the concept of the zero (vital to the advancement of mathematics), were transmitted to medieval Europe from Islam. Sophisticated instruments which were to make possible the European voyages of discovery were developed, including the astrolabe, the quadrant and good navigational maps.
8: Muhammad was the founder of Islam and Muslims worship him:
Muhammad peace be upon him was born in Mecca in the year 570. Since his father died before his birth, and his mother shortly afterwards, he was raised by his uncle from the respected tribe of Quraysh. As he grew up, he became known for his truthfulness, generosity and sincerity, so that he was sought after for his ability to arbitrate in disputes. The historians describe him as calm and meditative. Muhammad peace be upon him was of a deeply religious nature, and had long detested the decadence of his society.
It became his habit to meditate from time to time in the Cave of Hira near Mecca. At the age of 40, while engaged in a meditative retreat, Muhammad -peace be upon him- received his first revelation from God through the Angel Gabriel. This revelation, which continued for 23 years, is known as the Holy Qur'an. As soon as he began to recite the words he heard from Gabriel, and to preach the truth which God had revealed to him, he and his small group of followers suffered bitter persecution, which grew fiercely. In the year 622 God gave them the command to emigrate.
This event, the Hijrah or 'migration', in which they left Mecca for the city of Medina, marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar. After several years, the Prophet and his followers were able to return to Mecca, where they forgave their enemies and established Islam definitively to spread out in the other regions smoothly and effectively. Before the death of the Prophet - peace be upon him- at the age of 63, the greater part of Arabia was Muslim, and within a century of his death Islam had spread to Spain in the West and as far East as China. He died with less than five possessions to his name.
While Muhammad -peace be upon him- was chosen to deliver the message, he is not considered the founder" of Islam, since Muslims consider Islam to be the same Divine guidance sent to all peoples before. Muslims believe in all the prophets from Adam, Noah, Moses, Jesus etc. who were all sent with divine guidance for their peoples. Every prophet was sent to his own people, but Muhammad peace be upon him was sent to all of mankind for he is considered to be the last messenger. It is substantial to think of the messenger Muhammad as the last and final messenger who is sent to deliver the message of Islam. Muslims revere and honour him- peace be upon him- for all he went through and his dedication, but they absolutely do not worship him.
{{O Prophet (Muhammad)! Verily, We have sent you as witness, and a bearer of glad tidings, and a Warner, And as one who invites to Allâh [Islâmic Monotheism, i.e. to worship none but Allâh (Alone)] by His Leave, and as a lamp spreading light (through your instructions from the Qur'ân and the Sunnah the legal ways of the Prophet). }}, (Holly Qur’an 33: 45-46).
9: Muslims don't believe in Jesus or any other prophets:
Muslims respect and revere Jesus, peace be upon him, and await his Second Coming. They consider him one of the greatest God's messengers to mankind. A Muslim never refers to him simply as 'Jesus', but always adds the phrase "peace be upon him ". The Holy Qur'an confirms his virgin birth (a chapter of the Holy Qur'an is entitled 'Mary'), and Mary is considered the purest woman among all the creation. The Holy Qur'an describes the Annunciation as follows:
{{And (remember) when the angels said: "O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, Allâh has chosen you, purified you (from polytheism and disbelief), and chosen you above the women of the 'Alamîn (mankind and jinns) (of her lifetime)." O Mary! "Submit yourself with obedience to your Lord (Allâh, by worshipping none but Him Alone) and prostrate yourself, and Irkâ'i (bow down etc.) along with Ar-Râki'ûn (those who bow down etc.).", This is a part of the news of the Ghaib (unseen, i.e. the news of the past nations of which you have no knowledge) which We inspire you with (O Muhammad). You were not with them, when they cast lots with their pens as to which of them should be charged with the care of Maryam (Mary); nor were you with them when they disputed. (Remember) when the angels said: "O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, Allâh gives you the glad tidings of a Word ["Be!" - and he was! i.e. 'Isa (Jesus) the son of Maryam (Mary)] from Him, his name will be the Messiah 'Isa (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), held in honour in this world and in the Hereafter, and will be one of those who are near to Allâh.", "He will speak to the people in the cradle and in manhood, and he will be one of the righteous.", She said: "O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me." He said: "So (it will be) for Allâh creates what He wills. When He has decreed something, He says to it only: "Be!" and it is. And He (Allâh) will teach him ['Isa (Jesus)] the Book and Al-Hikmah (i.e. the Sunnah, the faultless speech of the Prophets, wisdom, etc.), (and) the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel).}} (Holly Qur’an 3: 42-48)
"Jesus "peace be upon him" was born miraculously through the same power, which had brought Adam "peace be upon him" into being without a father:
{{Verily, the likeness of 'Isa (Jesus) before Allâh is the likeness of Adam. He created him from dust, then (He) said to him: "Be!" - and he was}}
(Holly Qur’an 3: 59)
During his prophetic mission Jesus "peace be upon him" performed many miracles. The Qur'an tells us that he said:
{{And will make him ['Isa (Jesus)] a Messenger to the Children of Israel (saying): "I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, that I design for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by Allah's Leave; and I heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I bring the dead to life by Allah's Leave. And I inform you of what you eat, and what you store in your houses. Surely, therein is a sign for you, if you believe.}} (Holly Qur’an 3: 49)
Neither Muhammad- peace be upon him- nor Jesus "peace be upon them came to change the basic doctrine of the belief in One God brought by earlier prophets, but to confirm and renew it.
In the Holy Qur'an Jesus "peace be upon him" is reported as saying:
{{And I have come confirming that which was before me of the Taurât (Torah), and to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden to you, and I have come to you with a proof from your Lord. So fear Allâh and obey me. , Truly! Allâh is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him (Alone). This is the Straight Path.}} (Holly Qur’an 3: 50-51)
This is similar to what we find in the Bible when Jesus "peace be upon him" said in the Book of Matthews: "5:17 Think not that I am coming to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not coming to destroy, but to fulfill".
Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said:
"Whoever believes there is no god but Allah, alone without a partner, that Muhammad is His messenger, that Jesus is the servant and messenger of God, His word that breathed into Mary and a spirit emanating from Him, and that Paradise and Hell are true, shall be received by God into Heaven."
Chapter Six
Faculties Of Islam
Islam takes care of the human being from several dimensions in order to make the man/women well-developed in a stabilized society where mirth, cooperation, and peace in inmost feelings and the reality of the person. There are many useful faculties on which Islam lean to go further in the human transactions and the mutual relationships that are assumed to be substantially successful. In the following lines, there are going to be mentioned some of the Islamic faculties that pay attention to the human deeds in Islam.
1. The orphans:
Allah Almighty urges the prophet Muhammad peace be upon him to take care of the orphan:
{{Therefore, treat not the orphan with oppression,}} (Holly Qur’an 93:9)
It is not only ordained to take care of the orphan but also to treat him/her kindly and affectionately. This attitude is very lucrative before Allah Almighty for the person will gain the mercy and the reward from the Lord of the world. This is considered as the path of the righteousness in the Holy Qur'an,
{{It is not Al-Birr (piety, righteousness, and each and every act of obedience to Allâh, etc.) that you turn your faces towards east and (or) west (in prayers); but Al-Birr is (the quality of) the one who believes in Allâh, the Last Day, the Angels, the Book, the Prophets and gives his wealth, in spite of love for it, to the kinsfolk, to the orphans, and to Al-Masâkin (the poor), and to the wayfarer, and to those who ask, and to set slaves free, performs As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), and gives the Zakât, and who fulfill their covenant when they make it, and who are As-Sâbirin (the patient ones, etc.) in extreme poverty and ailment (disease) and at the time of fighting (during the battles). Such are the people of the truth and they are Al¬Muttaqûn (pious)}}
(Holly Qur’an 2:177)
2. Science:
Islam is known as the religion of the science for there are no conflicts between the science and the religion. This means that Islam does not prohibit the path of knowledge and science, but it rather imposes on Muslims to seek the Lore so as to be in high levels in the paradise.
{{ .. Say: "Are those who know equal to those who know not?" It is only men of understanding who will remember}} (Holly Qur’an 39: 9)
Furthermore, the scholars are the best people to know the greatness and glory of Allah Almighty to the extent to fear Him. This is utterly furthered in the Holy Qur'an,
{{It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allâh. Verily, Allâh is All¬Mighty, Oft ¬Forgiving. }} (Holly Qur’an 35:28)
To boot, one has to add that the messenger of Allah Muhammad peace be upon him used to urge the Muslims to seek the path of knowledge. He used to say:
"Whoever has sought the path to knowledge, Allah Almighty will pave the path to him to get to paradise." (Abu Dawood 3645)
The necessity of science in Islam is based on knowing the ultimate truth about the world to decipher the codes of oneself, the surroundings, the others, and the universe. This substantial truth will enable the person to know one's creator so as to praise His Almighty and to pray to Him as He only wants us to do.
3. The environment:
If one takes golden shots of the Islamic practice towards the environment, one can discern the huge care of Muslims towards the environment.
The Prophet, upon him be blessings and peace, declared:
- "If any Muslim plants a tree or sows a field, and a human, bird or animal eats from it, it shall be reckoned as charity from him." (Bukhari 2320)
- "If the day of resurrection comes upon anyone of you while he has a seedling in hand, let him plant it." (Ahmed 13240)
- "Faith ( believing ) is more than seventy ways , highest is the testimony of ( No God But Allah ), and the lowest is to remove any harm ( dirt, rock, … etc.) from road." (Muslim: 162)
- "Removing Harms from roads is a charity."
(Bukhari; 24)
«No harm and no inflicting harm» (Ibn Magah 2430), Means you shouldn't make nothing Harm to others or to your self (smoking, noise …etc.)
This positive attitude involves taking measures to improve all aspects of life: health, nutrition, and the psychological and spiritual dimensions, for man's benefit and the maintenance of his welfare, as well as for the betterment of life for all future generations.
And as is shown in the Prophetic declarations above, the aim of both the conservation and development of the environment in Islam is the universal good of all created beings.
4. Racism:
There is no difference between people in Islam for the human beings are all equal and the favorites to Allah Almighty are the most pious ones. This is clearly expounded in Islam to demarcate the relationships between the people and to define the status of nobility that is correlated to only piety instead of the race, color, and wealth.
{{O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you with Allâh is that (believer) who has At-Taqwa [i.e. one of the Muttaqûn (pious)]. Verily, Allâh is All-Knowing, All-Aware.}}
(Holly Qur’an 49:13)
The practice of equity in Islam is quite clear during the pilgrimage in Mecca,
"(The Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca) was an exhilarating experience to see people belonging to different colours, races and nationalities, kings, heads of states and ordinary men from very poor countries all clad in two simple white sheets praying to God without any sense of either pride or inferiority. It was a practical manifestation of the concept of equally in Islam." Cassius Clay, now Muhammad Ali.
It goes without saying that there is no problem in Islam about the white and Black people. The Muslims do not treat people well or badly because of their colors for they are all created by one God: Allah Almighty.
5. The Rights of Animals:
Allah Almighty has made important value to the animals as they are created by Him. One has to be nice towards the animals and to treat them as good as one can do for they are creatures like us: they feel, smell, sleep, work, cooperate etc.
The prophet Mohammad peace be upon him has stated,
"Allah has ordained beneficence in everything. Thus, if you kill do it well; and if you slaughter, perform well. You have to sharpen your lame so as to soothe the slain animal." (Muslim. 5167)
From this perspective, one has to know that it is forbidden to kill animals in Islam unless one slaughters them in order to eat them like cows, fish, chicken etc.
It is also ordered not to torture the animals in any case. These animals are to be respected as creatures of Allah Almighty. It is narrated that Ibn Omar has passed by young guys who were playing with a little bird by the use of their arrows. The guys escaped when they had seen him. He looked upon this poor bird and said, " The animals must be treated well for the Muslim must be in tandem with nature that is surrounding him for his/her own benefits and the other creatures' benefits.
Also, let's remember the Hadith of Muhammad (peace be upon him) - "If any Muslim plants a tree or sows a field and a human, bird or animal eats from it, it shall be reckoned as charity from him." (Bukhari; 2320)
The messenger of Allah Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to say," Who has hurt this bird? Woe be to the one who has done this torment to it! The messenger of Allah, Muhammad (peace be upon him) has cursed whoever dares to play or hurt anything that has a soul – like an animal-" it is narrated by the two Sheikhs: Al Bukhari and Muslim. The messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) had also stated, "Don't cause damage or detriment". That is to say the bullfighting and the cockfighting are extremely forbidden in Islam for they cause a great damage for animals. All of this hurt is done for the sake of the unmerciful people. Though, this saying means one is not to hurt oneself or the others for every creature in the world has his/her/its own rights to be protected for the sake of the Lord of the world.
6. The Rights of the prisoners:
Allah Almighty has forbidden the Muslims to harm the human beings who are prisoners of war. The case that they are prisoners does not deny their human rights for they need to be considered carefully with all the respect a person deserve in a humane attitude. For instance, torture is very prohibited Islam. The messenger of Allah Muhammad peace be upon him stated, “Do not mutilate.” (Narrated by Muslim 3/1357) This is assumed to be practiced in Islam among Muslims.
Furthermore, Islam urges the person to treat well the prisoners and even to release them for their rights to be simply free as respectful human beings.
The messenger of Allah Muhammad peace be upon him had insisted in the Hadith of Sahih, "You have to nourish the hungry person, visit the sick person, and release the prisoner", it is narrated by (Al Bukhari)
This attitude in Islam is considered as one of the acts of respect and cooperation among the human beings in the Muslim society. The Muslim are to be united as one body; and in case a part of the body, regardless of its smallness, is suffering, the whole will automatically stay up and has a fever all the time till this part of body will be recovered and fine.
The parents:
The parents are to be seriously cared of for the sake of Allah Almighty Who has ordained people to do as follows:
{{Worship Allâh and join none with Him in worship, and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, Al-Masâkin (the poor), the neighbour who is near of kin, the neighbour who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and those (slaves) whom your right hands possess. Verily, Allâh does not like such as are proud and boastful.}}
(Holly Qur’an 4:36)
Allah Almighty has enjoined His worshipping to the good deed towards the parents for they are the ones who has raised the child up and educated him/her to be in the position that he/she is in there.
{{And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honour., And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: "My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was small."}} (Holly Qur’an 17: 23-24(
One of the men had asked the messenger of Allah Muhammad peace be upon him about whom the most important in the view of Allah to care about. The messenger of Allah had answered, "Your mother". He has said it thrice, and in the fourth time the man had asked him again, he answered, "your father". This statement gives the evidence to people to take care of their parents, especially the mother who has been pregnant for nine months to bring the person to life. The mother has suffered a lot to bring up the child, and then, it is extremely necessary to treat her well and to be nice towards her as a valuable gem in the heart of the person who embodies one's thoughts and reverent feelings in good acts and sincere gratitude. In a word, Islam cares about the nub of the society that is called the family.
Conclusion
Coming to the end of this book, one has to point out that the seeker of the right path has to be look forward to rummaging the correct source with the right people to know the total truth. This seems to be quite hard in the middle of the chaos of the media and the misshapen features of Islam because the misdeeds of some Muslims. Definitely, one has to ask Allah Almighty to show him/her the absolute truth and the ultimate facts of the world to know what to choose and to be quite certain of the right thing to do towards Him Almighty, towards oneself and others. These are some useful links to look upon with all of our devout wishes.
www.sultan.org
www.islam-guide.com
www.islamhouse.com
www.beconvinced.com
*******s
*******s Page
Islam In Brief 1
PREFACE 2
Chapter One 3
The Creator 3
Unity of God: 6
What are the proofs that betoken Allah Almighty's existence? 7
Why Does Allah create the human being? 13
Attributes of God (Allah): 17
Chapter Two 21
What is Islam? 21
Why was this religion named Islam? 21
The Message of Islam: 22
The Six Pillars of Faith in Islam: 24
Some Beauties of Islam: 30
How Does Someone Become a Muslim? 33
What Are the Five Pillars of Islam? 34
SOURCES OF ISLAM: 36
Chapter Three 39
The Prophet of Islam 39
Personal Character: 39
The First Revelation: 40
His Teachings: 41
Persecution: 43
Migration: 44
Spread of Islam: 46
Prophet Muhammad’s Final Years: 47
Some of his Words: 48
Chapter Four 51
Proofs of the authenticity of Islam 51
1- Samples of Scientific Miracles in the Holy Qur'an: 52
a- The smothering of the smelling in the highest places 52
b- Pharaoh died because he got drowned: 52
c- The Lowest Area on Earth: 54
d- The Qur’an on the Origin of the Universe: 56
e- The Qur’an on Mountains: 58
f- The Qur’an on Clouds: 60
g-The Qur’an on Deep Seas and Internal Waves: 64
2-Challenge to Produce Like the Holy Qur'an 67
3-Islam is Foretold in the Holy Book: 69
Chapter Five 74
Top misconceptions about Islam 74
1. Muslims are violent, terrorists. 74
2: Islam oppresses women: 76
3: Muslims worship a different God: 77
4: Islam was spread by the sword and is intolerant of other faiths: 78
5: All Muslims are Arabs: 83
6: All Muslim men marry four wives: 84
7: Muslims are barbaric and backward people: 86
8: Muhammad was the founder of Islam and Muslims worship him: 87
9: Muslims don't believe in Jesus or any other prophets: 89
Chapter Six 93
Faculties Of Islam 93
1. The orphans: 93
2. Science: 94
3. The environment: 96
4. Racism: 97
5. The Rights of Animals: 98
6. The Rights of the prisoners: 100
The parents: 101
Conclusion: 104
*******s 106
Note: Quran Versions used were: The Noble Quran, An English translation of the meanings of The Holy Quran. Translators: Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilali, Ph.D. Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan. And also,
Translation Of The Meanings Of The Glorious Quran, Translated By AbulQasim Publishing House, 1997 (Al-Muntada Alislami)
All praise to Allah.
والحمد لله رب العالمين
The body of Pharaoh was invited to France. Pharaoh was presented in France as a respectful king even though he was dead many centuries ago. A good number of scholars in medicine has greeted that body and received in their laboratories. An outstanding doctor, Maurice Bucaille, had been studying the body of Pharaoh for three days. This doctor has discovered that the main reason of Pharaoh's death was drowning. He confirmed this utter fact to his friends. One of the doctors had told him that this went in tandem with what the Muslims claimed its confirmation in the Holy Qur'an. All of a sudden, Doctor Bucaille said: "This must not be a word of a man but the Holy Word of God!" Doctor Bucaille went to Saudi Arabia in a scientific seminar. He asked about the drowning of the body of Pharaoh that had been mentioned in the Holy Qur'an as well as he mentioned that he himself discovered the fact while treating the body of Pharaoh. As soon as he had seen the verses of the Qur'an, he spontaneously stated, "there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah". He has written a marvelous book whose title is: Science in the Bible and the Holy Qur'an". This Book has confirmed many scientific matters that are simply in harmony with the holy verses of the Qur'an.
c- The Lowest Area on Earth:
{{The Romans have been defeated. In the nearer land (Syria, Iraq, Jordan, and Palestine), and they, after their defeat, will be victorious. Within three to nine years. The decision of the matter, before and after (these events) is only with Allâh, (before the defeat of Romans by the Persians, and after, i.e. the defeat of the Persians by the Romans). And on that Day, the believers (i.e. Muslims) will rejoice (at the victory given by Allâh to the Romans against the Persians), With the help of Allâh, He helps whom He wills, and He is the All¬Mighty, the Most Merciful. (It is) a Promise of Allâh (i.e. Allâh will give victory to the Romans against the Persians), and Allâh fails not in His Promise, but most of men know not.}} (Holy Qur'an 30:1-6)
The Scientific Fact:-
History books tell us about a battle between the Persian and the Byzantine empires – the latter signifies the eastern part of the Roman Empire - which was located in the area between Adhra`at and Basra, near the Dead Sea. The battle, which occurred in 619 A.C., ended with the victory of the Persians.
The Romans received a severe blow in that battle and everyone at that time expected their kingdom to fall. Surprisingly, they were engaged in another battle in 622 A.C. in the area of Nineveh where they defeated the Persians and occupied many areas. Some months later, the Byzantines signed an agreement with the Persians according to which they returned all previously occupied areas.
Geographical atlases show that the lowest spot on the surface of the earth is the area near the Dead Sea where the surface of the earth is as low as 395 meters below sea level. Photos taken by satellites support this fact.
Not to mention that the pagan Quraysh of Mecca rejoiced at the overthrow of Rome by Persia. They were pro-Persian, and in their heart of hearts they hoped that the nascent movement of Islam, which at that time was, from a worldly point of view, very weak and helpless, would also collapse under their persecution. But they misread the true Signs of the times. They are told here that they would soon be disillusioned in their calculations, and it actually so happened at the battle of Issus in 622 (the year of Hijrat) and in 624, when Heraclius carried his campaign into the heart of Persia and the Meccan Quraysh were beaten off at Badr. (Footnote of The Holy Qur'an English Translation in the Madinah, p1176/3506)
d- The Qur’an on the Origin of the Universe:
The science of modern cosmology, observational and theoretical, clearly indicates that, at one point in time, the whole universe was nothing but a cloud of ‘smoke’ (i.e. an opaque highly dense and hot gaseous composition).1 This is one of the undisputed principles of standard modern cosmology. Scientists now can observe new stars forming out of the remnants of that ‘smoke’.
The illuminating stars we see at night were, just as was the whole universe, in that ‘smoke’ material. Allah has said in the Qur’an:
{{…Then He Istawâ (rose over) towards the heaven when it was smoke.}}
(Holy Qur'an 41:11)
Because the earth and the heavens above (the sun, the moon, stars, planets, galaxies, etc.) have been formed from this same ‘smoke,’ we conclude that the earth and the heavens were one connected entity. Then out of this homogeneous ‘smoke,’ they formed and separated from each other. Allah has said in the Qur’an:
{{Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth were joined together as one united piece, then We parted them? And We have made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?}} (Holy Qur'an 21: 30)
Dr. Alfred Kroner is one of the world’s renowned geologists. He is Professor of Geology and the Chairman of the Department of Geology at the Institute of Geosciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany. He said:
“Thinking where Muhammad came from . . . I think it is almost impossible that he could have known about things like the common origin of the universe, because scientists have only found out within the last few years, with very complicated and advanced technological methods, that this is the case.”
Also he said:
“Somebody who did not know something about nuclear physics fourteen hundred years ago could not, I think, be in a position to find out from his own mind, for instance, that the earth and the heavens had the same origin.”
Ref:
- The First Three Minutes, a Modern View of the Origin of the Universe, Weinberg, pp. 94-105.
e- The Qur’an on Mountains:
A book entitled Earth is a basic reference textbook in many universities around the world. One of its two authors is Professor Emeritus Frank Press. He was the Science Advisor to former US President Jimmy Carter, and for 12 years was the President of the National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC. His book says that mountains have underlying roots. These roots are deeply embedded in the ground, thus, mountains have a shape like a peg. This is how the Qur’an has described mountains. Allah has said in the Qur’an:
{{And the mountains as pegs...}} (Holy Qur'an 78: 7)
Modern earth sciences have proven that mountains have deep roots under the surface of the ground and that these roots can reach several times their elevations above the surface of the ground. 1 So the most suitable word to describe mountains on the basis of this information is the word ‘peg,’ since most of a properly set peg is hidden under the surface of the ground.
The history of science tells us that the theory of mountains having deep roots was introduced only in 1865 by the Astronomer Royal, Sir George Airy. 2 Mountains also play an important role in stabilizing the crust of the earth. 3 They hinder the shaking of the earth. Allah has said in the Qur’an:
{{And He has affixed into the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you,..}}
(Holy Qur'an 21: 30)
Likewise, the modern theory of plate tectonics holds that mountains work as stabilizers for the earth. This knowledge about the role of mountains as stabilizers for the earth has just begun to be understood in the framework of plate tectonics since the late 1960’s.
Could anyone during the time of the Prophet Muhammad have known of the true shape of mountains?
Could anyone imagine that the solid massive mountain which he sees before him actually extends deep into the earth and has a root, as scientists affirm? Modern geology has confirmed the truth of the Qur’anic verses.
Ref: - Earth, Press and Siever, p. 435. Also see Earth Science, Tarbuck and Lutgens, p. 157.
- The Geological Concept of Mountains in the Qur’an, El-Naggar,p. 5. p. 44-45
f- The Qur’an on Clouds:
Scientists have studied cloud types and have realized that rain clouds are formed and shaped according to definite systems and certain steps connected with certain types of wind and clouds.
One kind of rain cloud is the cumulonimbus cloud. Meteorologists have studied how cumulonimbus clouds are formed and how they produce rain, hail, and lightning.
They have found that cumulonimbus clouds go through the following steps to produce rain:
1) The clouds are pushed by the wind: Cumulonimbus clouds begin to form when wind pushes some small pieces of clouds (cumulus clouds) to an area where these clouds converge.
2) Joining: Then the small clouds join together forming a larger cloud.
3) Stacking: When the small clouds join together, updrafts within the larger cloud increase. The updrafts near the center of the cloud are stronger than those near the edges. These updrafts cause the cloud body to grow vertically, so the cloud is stacked up. This vertical growth causes the cloud body to stretch into cooler regions of the atmosphere, where drops of water and hail formulate and begin to grow larger and larger. When these drops of water and hail become too heavy for the updrafts to support them, they begin to fall from the cloud as rain, hail, etc...
Allah has said in the Qur’an:
{{See you not that Allâh drives the clouds gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap of layers, and you see the rain comes forth from between them. And He sends down from the sky hail (like) mountains, and strike therewith whom He will, and averts it from whom He wills. The vivid flash of its (clouds) lightning nearly blinds the sight.}}
(Holy Qur'an 24: 43)
Meteorologists have only recently come to know these details of cloud formation, structure, and function by using advanced equipment like planes, satellites, computers, balloons, and other equipment, to study wind and its direction, to measure humidity
and its variations, and to determine the levels and variations of atmospheric pressure.
The preceding verse, after mentioning clouds and rain, speaks about hail and lightning:
{{.... And He sends down from the sky hail (like) mountains, and strike therewith whom He will, and averts it from whom He wills. The vivid flash of its (clouds) lightning nearly blinds the sight.}}
(Holy Qur'an 24: 43)
Urologists have found that these cumulonimbus clouds, that shower hail, reach a height of 25,000 to 30,000 ft (4.7 to 5.7 miles),2 like mountains, as the Qur’an said: {{.... And He sends down from the sky hail (like) mountains,}}
This verse may raise a question. Why does the verse say “its lightning” in a reference to the hail? Does this mean that hail is the major factor in producing lightning? Let us see what the book entitled Meteorology Today says about this. It says that a cloud becomes electrified as hail falls through a region in the cloud of super cooled droplets and ice crystals. As liquid droplets collide with a hailstone, they freeze on contact and release latent heat.
This keeps the surface of the hailstone warmer than that of the surrounding ice crystals. When the hailstone comes in contact with an ice crystal, an important phenomenon occurs: electrons flow from the colder object toward the warmer object. Hence, the hailstone becomes negatively charged. The same effect occurs when supercooled droplets come in contact with a hailstone and tiny splinters of positively charged ice break off.
These lighter positively charged particles are then carried to the upper part of the cloud by updrafts. The hail, left with a negative charge, falls towards the bottom of the cloud, thus the lower part of the cloud becomes negatively charged. These negative charges are then discharged as lightning. 1 We conclude from this that hail is the major factor in producing lightning.
This information on lightning was discovered recently. Until 1600 AD, Aristotle’s ideas on meteorology were dominant. For example, he said that the atmosphere contains two kinds of exhalation, moist and dry. He also said that thunder is the sound of the collision of the dry exhalation with the neighbouring clouds, and lightning is the inflaming and burning of the dry exhalation with a thin and faint fire.1 These are some of the ideas on meteorology that were dominant at the time of the Qur’an’s revelation, fourteen centuries ago.
Also:
Allah Said in Holly Qur’an:
{{And We send the winds fertilizing (to fill heavily the clouds with water), then caused the water (rain) to descend from the sky, and We gave it to you to drink, and it is not you who are the owners of its stores [i.e. to give water to whom you like or to withhold it from whom you like].}} (Holy Qur'an 15:22)
The previous chapter of Holy Qur'an , includes a great scientific fact , where the wind has a part in the inoculation of some plants , and also the word can be used to show the effect of winds to collect different clouds with two different electric charges ( positive & negative ) , in which is considered as a marriage or an inoculation.
Ref.:
- Atmosphere, Anthes and others, pp. 268-269, and Elements of Meteorology, Miller and Thompson, p. 141.
- Meteorology Today, Ahrens, p. 437.
- The Works of Aristotle Translated into English: Meteorologica, vol. 3, Ross and others, pp. 369a-369b.
g-The Qur’an on Deep Seas and Internal Waves:
Allah has said in the Qur’an:
{{ Or [the state of a disbeliever] is like the darkness in a vast deep sea, overwhelmed with a great wave topped by a great wave, topped by dark clouds, darkness, one above another, if a man stretches out his hand, he can hardly see it! And he for whom Allâh has not appointed light, for him there is no light...}}
(Holly Qur’an, 24:40)
This verse mentions the darkness found in deep seas and oceans, where if a man stretches out his hand, he cannot see it. The darkness in deep seas and oceans is found around a depth of 200 meters and below. At this depth, there is almost no light. Below a depth of 1000 meters there is no light at all. Human beings are not able to dive more than forty meters without the aid of submarines or special equipment. Human beings cannot survive unaided in the deep dark part of the oceans, such as at a depth of 200 meters.
Scientists have recently discovered this darkness by means of special equipment and submarines that have enabled them to dive into the depths of the oceans.
We can also understand from the following sentences in the previous verse, “...in a vast deep sea, overwhelmed with a great wave topped by a great wave, topped by dark clouds, darkness,...”, that the deep waters of seas and oceans are covered by waves, and above these waves are other waves. It is clear that the second sets of waves are the surface waves that we see, because the verse mentions that above the second waves there are clouds, But what about the first waves? Scientists have recently discovered that there are internal waves which “occur on density interfaces between layers of different densities.” The internal waves cover the deep waters of seas and oceans because the deep waters have a higher density than the waters above them. Internal waves act like surface waves. They can also break, just like surface waves. Internal waves cannot be seen by the human eye, but they can be detected by studying temperature or salinity changes at a given location.
Ref: Oceans, Elder and Pernetta, p. 27. - Oceanography, Gross, p. 205.
2-Challenge to Produce Like the Holy Qur'an
Allah has said in the Qur'an:
{{And if you (Arab pagans, Jews, and Christians) are in doubt concerning that which We have sent down (i.e. the Qur'an) to Our slave (Muhammad Peace be upon him), then produce a Surah (chapter) of the like thereof and call your witnesses (supporters and helpers) besides Allâh, if you are truthful. But if you do it not, and you can never do it, then fear the Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the disbelievers.}} (Holly Qur’an 2: 23-24)
Ever since the Qur'an was revealed, fourteen centuries ago, no one has been able to produce a single chapter like the chapters of the Qur'an in their beauty, eloquence, splendor, wise legislation, true information, true prophecy, and other perfect attributes. Also, note that the smallest chapter in the Qur'an (Chapter 108) is only ten words, yet no one has ever been able to meet this challenge, then or today. Some of the disbelieving Arabs who were enemies of the Prophet Muhammad-peace be upon him- tried to meet this challenge to prove that Muhammad -peace be upon him- was not a true prophet, but they failed to do so. This failure was despite the fact that the Holy Qur'an was revealed in their own language and dialect and that the Arabs at the time of Muhammad -peace be upon him- were very eloquent people who used to compose beautiful and excellent poetry, still read and appreciated today.
3-Islam is Foretold in the Holy Book:
In Deuteronomy 18, Prophet Moses stated that God told him: “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.” (Deuteronomy 18:18-19)
From these verses we conclude that the prophet in this prophecy must have the following three characteristics:
1) That he will be like Moses.
2) That he will come from the brothers of the Israelites, i.e. the Ishmaelites.
3) That God will put His words in to the mouth of this prophet and that he will declare what God commands him.
Let us examine these three characteristics in more depth:
a) A prophet like Moses:
There were hardly any two prophets who were so much alike as Moses and Muhammad. Both were given a comprehensive law and code of life. They both had encountered their enemies and were victorious in miraculous ways. They both were accepted as prophets and statesmen. They both migrated following conspiracies to assassinate them. Analogies between Moses and Jesus overlook not only the above similarities but other crucial ones as well. These include the natural birth, the family life, and the death of Moses and Muhammad. All these facts differentiate Moses from Jesus, peace be upon them. Moreover Jesus was regarded by his followers as the Son of God and not exclusively as a prophet of God, as Moses and Muhammad were and as Muslims believe Jesus was. So, this prophecy refers to the Prophet Muhammad-peace be upon him- and not to Jesus, because Muhammad is more similar to Moses than Jesus.
Also, one notices from the Gospel of John that the Jews were waiting for the fulfillment of three distinct prophecies. The first was the coming of Christ. The second was the coming of Elijah. The third was the coming of the Prophet. This is obvious from the three questions that were posed to John the Baptist:
“Now this was John’s testimony, when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Christ.” They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” (John 1:19-21).
If we look in a Bible with cross-references, we will find in the marginal notes where the word “the Prophet” occurs in John 1:21 is the same one that refers to the prophecy of Deuteronomy 18:15 and 18:18.2. Accordingly, we conclude from this gauging that Jesus Christ is not the prophet mentioned in Deuteronomy 18:18.
b) From the brothers of the Israelites:
Abraham had two sons, Ishmael and Isaac (Genesis 21). Ishmael became the grandfather of the Arab nation, and Isaac became the grandfather of the Jewish nation. The prophet spoken of was not to come from among the Jews themselves, but from among their brothers, i.e. the Ishmaelites. Muhammad, a descendant of Ishmael, is indeed this prophet.
Also, Isaiah 42:1-13 speaks of the servant of God, His “chosen one” and “messenger” who will bring down a law. “He will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope.” (Isaiah 42:4). Verse 11, connects that awaited one with the descendants of Kedar. Who is Kedar? According to Genesis 25:13, Kedar was the second son of Ishmael, the ancestor of the Prophet Muhammad {peace be upon him}.
c) God will put His words in the mouth of this prophet:
The words of God (the Holy Qur'an) were truly put into Muhammad’s mouth. Allah Almighty sent the Angel Gabriel to teach Muhammad the exact words of God (the Holy Qur'an) and asked him to dictate them to the people as he heard them. The words are therefore not his own. They did not come from his own thoughts, but were put into his mouth by the Angel Gabriel. During the life time of Muhammad-peace be upon him- and under his supervision, these words were then memorized and written by his companions.
Also, this prophecy in Deuteronomy mentioned that this prophet will speak the words of God in the name of God. If we looked to the Holy Qur'an, we will find that all its chapters, except Chapter 9, are preceded or begin with the phrase, “In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.”
Another indication (other than the prophecy in Deuteronomy) is that Isaiah ties the messenger connected with Kedar with a new song (a scripture in a new language) to be sung to the Lord (Isaiah 42:10-11). This is mentioned more clearly in the prophecy of Isaiah: “and another tongue, he will speak to this people” (Isaiah 28:11 KJV). Another related point focuses on the revelation of the Holy Qur'an in sections over a span of twenty-three years. It is interesting to compare this with Isaiah 28 which speaks of the same thing, “For it is: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there.” (Isaiah 28:10)
Chapter Five
Top misconceptions about Islam
1. Muslims are violent, terrorists
This is the biggest misconception in Islam. It is no doubt resulting from the constant stereotyping and bashing the misshapen features of Muslims through the use of the media. When a gunman attacks a mosque in the name of Judaism, a Catholic IRA guerrilla sets off a bomb in an urban area, or Serbian Orthodox militiamen rape and kill innocent Muslim civilians, these acts are not used to stereotype an entire faith. Never are these acts attributed to the religion of the perpetrators. Yet how many times have we heard the words 'Islamic, Muslim fundamentalist, etc.' linked with violence.
Politics in so called "Muslim countries" may or may not have any Islamic basis. Often dictators and politicians will use the name of Islam for their own purposes. One should remember to go to the source of Islam and separate what the true religion of Islam says from what is portrayed in the media. Islam literally means 'submission to God' and is derived from a root word that substantially means 'peace'.
Islam may seem exotic or even extreme in the modern world. Perhaps this is because religion doesn't dominate everyday life in the West, whereas Islam is considered a 'way of life' for Muslims and they make no division between secular and sacred in their lives. Like Christianity, Islam permits fighting in self-defense, in defense of religion, or on the part of those who have been expelled forcibly from their homes. It lays down strict rules of combat which include prohibitions against harming civilians and destroying crops, trees and livestock.
NOWHERE DOES ISLAM ENJOIN THE KILLING OF INNOCENTS....The Holy Qur'an says:
{{And fight in the Way of Allâh those who fight you, but transgress not the limits. Truly, Allâh likes not the transgressors.}} (Holly Qur’an 2:190)
{{But if they incline to peace, you also incline to it, and (put your) trust in Allâh. Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower}} (Holly Qur’an 8: 61)
War, therefore, is the last resort, and is subject to the rigorous conditions laid down by the sacred law. The term 'jihad' literally means 'struggle'. Muslims believe that there are two kinds of jihad. The other 'jihad' is the inner struggle of the soul which everyone wages against egotistic desires for the sake of attaining inner peace, happy life in the mundane world and in the Hereafter.
2: Islam oppresses women:
The images of the typical Muslim woman include wearing the veil, being forced to stay home, and are forbidden to drive vehicles are all common in most of peoples' thoughts. Although some Muslim countries may have laws that oppress women, this should not be considered as coming from Islam. Many of these countries do not rule by any kind of Shari'ah (Islamic law), but rather they introduce their own cultural standpoints on the issue of gender equity.
Islam on the other hand gives men and women different roles and equity between the two is laid down in the Holy Qur'an and the example of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Islam sees a woman, whether single or married, as a respectful individual in the society who has rights to own and dispose of her property and earnings. A marriage gift is given by the groom to the bride for her own personal use, and she keeps her own family name rather than taking her husband's name. Both men and women are expected to dress in a way that is modest and dignified.
The Messenger of God (peace be upon him) said: "The most perfect in faith amongst believers is he who is best in manner and kindest to his wife."
Violence of any kind towards women and forcing them against their will for anything is not allowed in Islam. A Muslim marriage is a simple, legal agreement in which either partner is free to include conditions.
Marital customs thus vary widely from country to country. Divorce is not common, although it is acceptable as a last resort. According to Islam, a Muslim girl cannot be forced to marry against her will: her parents simply suggest young men they think may be suitable to her. This is the freedom of Islam that gives it to woman while she has no right to do anything in the darkness age of Europe.
3: Muslims worship a different God:
Allah is simply the Arabic word for God. Allah is for Muslims the greatest and most inclusive of the Names of God. It is an Arabic word that contains a rich meaning, denoting the one and only God and ascribing no partners to Him. It is exactly the same word which the Jews, in Hebrew, use for God (Elohe), the word which Jesus Christ used in Aramaic when he prayed to God. God has an identical name in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; Allah is the same God worshipped by Muslims, Christians and Jews. Muslims believe that Allah's sovereignty is to be acknowledged in worship and in the pledge to obey His teaching and commandments, conveyed through His messengers and prophets who were sent at various times and in many places throughout history. However, it should be noted that God in Islam is One and Only. He, the Exalted, does not get tired, does not have a son (i.e. Jesus) or have associates, nor does He have human-like attributions as found in the other faiths which are thought to be changed through the run of history.
4: Islam was spread by the sword and is intolerant of other faiths:
Many social studies textbooks for students show the image of an Arab horseman carrying a sword in one hand and the Holy Qur'an in the other conquering and forcibly converting. This, though, is not a correct
Portrayal of history. Islam has always given respect and freedom of religion to all faiths. The Holy Qur'an says:
{{Allâh does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion and did not drive you out of your homes. Verily, Allâh loves those who deal with equity.}} (Holly Qur’an 60:8)
Freedom of religion is laid down in the Holy Qur'an itself:
{{There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in Tâghût and believes in Allâh, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. And Allâh is All-Hearer, All-Knower.}} (Holly Qur’an 2: 256)
Christian missionary, T.W. Arnold had this opinion on his study of the question of Islam's spread: "...of any organized attempt to force the acceptance of Islam on the non-Muslim population, or of any systematic persecution intended to stamp out the Christian religion, we hear nothing. Had the caliphs chosen to adopt either course of action, they might have swept away Christianity as easily as Ferdinand and Isabella drove Islam out of Spain, or Louis XIV made Protestantism..."
It is a function of Islamic law to protect the privileged status of minorities, and this is why non-Muslim places of worship have flourished all over the Islamic world. History provides many examples of Muslim tolerance towards other faiths: when the caliph Omar entered Jerusalem in the year 634, Islam granted freedom of worship to all religious communities in the city. Proclaiming to the inhabitants that their lives, and property were safe, and that their places of worship would never be taken from them, he asked the Christian patriarch Sophronius to accompany him on a visit to all the holy places. The Christians of Jerusalem are keeping till today the covenant of Omar, the second Caliph in Islam. Islamic law also permits non-Muslim minorities to set up their own courts, which implement family laws drawn up by the minorities themselves. The life and property of all citizens in an Islamic state are considered sacred whether the person is Muslim or not.
One has to tell that there was a Muslim soldier who has trespassed the rights of a Jewish man in Iraq after defeating the Persian Empire. This Muslim soldier had pillaged the house of the Jewish man who himself went to the Madinah to complain about this misdemeanor. As soon as the Caliph Omar heard about this plunder, he sued this soldier not only to give back the house to the Jewish man, but also to be punished for his bad deed that has not a jot of relationship with Islam.
Racism is not a part of Islam, the Holy Qur'an speaks only of human equality and how all peoples are equal in the sight of God.
{{O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you with Allâh is that (believer) who has At-Taqwa [i.e. one of the Muttaqûn (pious)]. Verily, Allâh is All-Knowing, All-Aware.}}
(Holly Qur’an 49:13)
This Holy verse was not only a statement in the Holy Qur'an, but also a real fact in the Muslim world especially at the time that Muslims were used to follow the Holy orders word by word to the point they got a great empire in 25 years at the time that the Romans have spent 700 years to settle their great empire. For instance, Amr Ibn AlAs, one of Muslim leaders who used to be monitoring Egypt under the agreement of the Caliph Omar, had a son who vied with an Egyptian guy.
Thereafter, when the son lost the race competition, he has beaten up the Egyptian guy while uttering: do you overcome me and I am the son of the nobles! The Egyptian young man was deeply hurt, and he went to the Madinah to complain against the son of this leader. The Caliph Omar arraigned Amr Ibn AlAs and his son to his court; then, he said to the Egyptian young man:
"I want you to beat up the son of the nobles and the noble man (who is the governor of Egypt-Amr Ibn AlAs!". The Egyptian man said: O Caliph of the faithful, I just want to beat up the son of our governor for he had hurt me!"
Pausing here for a moment, the Caliph Omar, may Allah be praised with him, turned to the governor of Egypt and said a historical sentence, ''O Amr! Since when did you enslave the people whom their mothers had brought to the world free!"
On the heat of the moment, I should mention a discussion has been with one of my best American friends. She asked about the truth of the fact that Islam had been widespread by the power of the swords. I told her,' Look Nancy, Islam was just the Saudi Arabia, then it has been spread almost everywhere…many Muslim scholars who have protected Islam are not Arabs, but they are from Russia, Perse, and other places; for example, Imam Al Bukhari and Imam Muslim.
Nowadays the Arabs are very weak, but look around you: Turkey that used to be the second Christian place (Constantinople) after Rome is still Islamic many years after the weakness of the Arab Muslims…It is the same thing for Malaysia, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Bosnia, Kosovo, the Middle East, Egypt etc…What is the reason that let them keep their religion even though they many times suffer because of adopting a religious life and loving Allah Almighty…there is no mundane power that compels them to convert to Islam…They are Muslims because they want to seek the path of comfort, soulful *******, and perennial happy life. They are still Muslims because they found themselves within the glistening of the Holy Words that come directly from the Lord of the World.
5: All Muslims are Arabs:
The Muslim population of the world is around 1, 2 billion. One out of five people in the world is a Muslim. They are a vast range of races, nationalities, and cultures from around the globe--from the Philippines to Nigeria--they are united by their common Islamic faith. Only about 18% live in the Arab world and the largest Muslim community is in Indonesia. Most Muslims live east of Pakistan. Thirty percent of Muslims live in the Indian subcontinent, 20% in Sub-Saharan Africa, 17% in Southeast Asia, 18% in the Arab world, and 10% in the Soviet Union and China. Turkey, Iran, and Afghanistan make up 10% of the non-Arab Middle East. Although there are Muslim minorities in almost every area, including Latin America and Australia, they are most numerous in Russia and its newly independent states, India and central Africa. There are about 6 million Muslims in the United States.
6: All Muslim men marry four wives:
The religion of Islam was revealed for all societies and all times, and as it is, it accommodates widely differing social requirements. Circumstances may warrant the taking of another wife but the right is granted, according to the Holy Qur'an, only on condition that the husband is scrupulously fair. No woman can be forced into this kind of marriage if they do not wish it, and they also have the right to exclude it in their marriage contract.
Polygamy is neither mandatory, nor encouraged, but merely permitted. Images of "sheikhs with harems" are not consistent with Islam, as a man is only allowed at most four wives only if he can fulfill the stringent conditions of treating each fairly and providing each with separate housing etc. Permission to practice polygamy is not associated with mere satisfaction of passion. It is rather associated with compassion toward widows and orphans. It was the Holy Qur'an that limited and put conditions on the practice of polygamy among the Arabs, who had as many as ten or more wives and considered, them "property".
It is both honest and accurate to say that it is Islam that regulated this practice, limited it, made it more humane, and instituted equal rights and status for all wives. What the Qur'anic decrees amount to, taken together is discouragement of polygamy unless necessity for it exists. It is also evident that the general rule in Islam is monogamy and not polygamy. It is a very tiny percentage of Muslims that practice it over the world. However, permission to practice limited polygamy is only consistent with Islam's realistic view of the nature of man and woman and of various social needs, problems and cultural variations.
The question is, however far more than the inherent flexibility of Islam; it also is the frank and straightforward approach of Islam in dealing with practical problems. Rather than requiring hypocritical and superficial compliance, Islam delves deeper into the problems of individuals and societies, and provides for legitimate and clean solutions which are far more beneficial than would be the case if they were ignored. There is no doubt that the second wife legally married and treated kindly is better off than a mistress without any legal rights or permanence. It is quite true that man in the United States of America and Europe gets married to a one woman, but alas, the percentage of the betrayal of the husbands trespasses the number of four that is legally accepted in Islam. A Western man marries only one woman, but meanwhile, he can have an abundant number of illegal relationships with other women! Islam restricted this chaos by imposing the rules of polygamy with quite certain rules that keep the honour of the woman as a respectful human being and not a mere device for pleasure.
7: Muslims are barbaric and backward people:
Among the reasons for the rapid and peaceful spread of Islam was the simplicity of its doctrine. Islam calls for faith in only one God Who is worthy to worship. It also repeatedly instructs man to use his powers of intelligence and observation. Within few years, great civilizations and universities were flourishing, for according to the Prophet peace be upon him, 'seeking knowledge is an obligation for every Muslim man and woman'.
The synthesis of Eastern and Western ideas that have correlated the new thought to the old one, have engendered because of the Muslims' efforts great advances in medicine, mathematics, physics, astronomy, geography, architecture, art, literature, and history. Many crucial systems such as algebra, the Arabic numerals, and also the concept of the zero (vital to the advancement of mathematics), were transmitted to medieval Europe from Islam. Sophisticated instruments which were to make possible the European voyages of discovery were developed, including the astrolabe, the quadrant and good navigational maps.
8: Muhammad was the founder of Islam and Muslims worship him:
Muhammad peace be upon him was born in Mecca in the year 570. Since his father died before his birth, and his mother shortly afterwards, he was raised by his uncle from the respected tribe of Quraysh. As he grew up, he became known for his truthfulness, generosity and sincerity, so that he was sought after for his ability to arbitrate in disputes. The historians describe him as calm and meditative. Muhammad peace be upon him was of a deeply religious nature, and had long detested the decadence of his society.
It became his habit to meditate from time to time in the Cave of Hira near Mecca. At the age of 40, while engaged in a meditative retreat, Muhammad -peace be upon him- received his first revelation from God through the Angel Gabriel. This revelation, which continued for 23 years, is known as the Holy Qur'an. As soon as he began to recite the words he heard from Gabriel, and to preach the truth which God had revealed to him, he and his small group of followers suffered bitter persecution, which grew fiercely. In the year 622 God gave them the command to emigrate.
This event, the Hijrah or 'migration', in which they left Mecca for the city of Medina, marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar. After several years, the Prophet and his followers were able to return to Mecca, where they forgave their enemies and established Islam definitively to spread out in the other regions smoothly and effectively. Before the death of the Prophet - peace be upon him- at the age of 63, the greater part of Arabia was Muslim, and within a century of his death Islam had spread to Spain in the West and as far East as China. He died with less than five possessions to his name.
While Muhammad -peace be upon him- was chosen to deliver the message, he is not considered the founder" of Islam, since Muslims consider Islam to be the same Divine guidance sent to all peoples before. Muslims believe in all the prophets from Adam, Noah, Moses, Jesus etc. who were all sent with divine guidance for their peoples. Every prophet was sent to his own people, but Muhammad peace be upon him was sent to all of mankind for he is considered to be the last messenger. It is substantial to think of the messenger Muhammad as the last and final messenger who is sent to deliver the message of Islam. Muslims revere and honour him- peace be upon him- for all he went through and his dedication, but they absolutely do not worship him.
{{O Prophet (Muhammad)! Verily, We have sent you as witness, and a bearer of glad tidings, and a Warner, And as one who invites to Allâh [Islâmic Monotheism, i.e. to worship none but Allâh (Alone)] by His Leave, and as a lamp spreading light (through your instructions from the Qur'ân and the Sunnah the legal ways of the Prophet). }}, (Holly Qur’an 33: 45-46).
9: Muslims don't believe in Jesus or any other prophets:
Muslims respect and revere Jesus, peace be upon him, and await his Second Coming. They consider him one of the greatest God's messengers to mankind. A Muslim never refers to him simply as 'Jesus', but always adds the phrase "peace be upon him ". The Holy Qur'an confirms his virgin birth (a chapter of the Holy Qur'an is entitled 'Mary'), and Mary is considered the purest woman among all the creation. The Holy Qur'an describes the Annunciation as follows:
{{And (remember) when the angels said: "O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, Allâh has chosen you, purified you (from polytheism and disbelief), and chosen you above the women of the 'Alamîn (mankind and jinns) (of her lifetime)." O Mary! "Submit yourself with obedience to your Lord (Allâh, by worshipping none but Him Alone) and prostrate yourself, and Irkâ'i (bow down etc.) along with Ar-Râki'ûn (those who bow down etc.).", This is a part of the news of the Ghaib (unseen, i.e. the news of the past nations of which you have no knowledge) which We inspire you with (O Muhammad). You were not with them, when they cast lots with their pens as to which of them should be charged with the care of Maryam (Mary); nor were you with them when they disputed. (Remember) when the angels said: "O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, Allâh gives you the glad tidings of a Word ["Be!" - and he was! i.e. 'Isa (Jesus) the son of Maryam (Mary)] from Him, his name will be the Messiah 'Isa (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), held in honour in this world and in the Hereafter, and will be one of those who are near to Allâh.", "He will speak to the people in the cradle and in manhood, and he will be one of the righteous.", She said: "O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me." He said: "So (it will be) for Allâh creates what He wills. When He has decreed something, He says to it only: "Be!" and it is. And He (Allâh) will teach him ['Isa (Jesus)] the Book and Al-Hikmah (i.e. the Sunnah, the faultless speech of the Prophets, wisdom, etc.), (and) the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel).}} (Holly Qur’an 3: 42-48)
"Jesus "peace be upon him" was born miraculously through the same power, which had brought Adam "peace be upon him" into being without a father:
{{Verily, the likeness of 'Isa (Jesus) before Allâh is the likeness of Adam. He created him from dust, then (He) said to him: "Be!" - and he was}}
(Holly Qur’an 3: 59)
During his prophetic mission Jesus "peace be upon him" performed many miracles. The Qur'an tells us that he said:
{{And will make him ['Isa (Jesus)] a Messenger to the Children of Israel (saying): "I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, that I design for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by Allah's Leave; and I heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I bring the dead to life by Allah's Leave. And I inform you of what you eat, and what you store in your houses. Surely, therein is a sign for you, if you believe.}} (Holly Qur’an 3: 49)
Neither Muhammad- peace be upon him- nor Jesus "peace be upon them came to change the basic doctrine of the belief in One God brought by earlier prophets, but to confirm and renew it.
In the Holy Qur'an Jesus "peace be upon him" is reported as saying:
{{And I have come confirming that which was before me of the Taurât (Torah), and to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden to you, and I have come to you with a proof from your Lord. So fear Allâh and obey me. , Truly! Allâh is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him (Alone). This is the Straight Path.}} (Holly Qur’an 3: 50-51)
This is similar to what we find in the Bible when Jesus "peace be upon him" said in the Book of Matthews: "5:17 Think not that I am coming to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not coming to destroy, but to fulfill".
Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said:
"Whoever believes there is no god but Allah, alone without a partner, that Muhammad is His messenger, that Jesus is the servant and messenger of God, His word that breathed into Mary and a spirit emanating from Him, and that Paradise and Hell are true, shall be received by God into Heaven."
Chapter Six
Faculties Of Islam
Islam takes care of the human being from several dimensions in order to make the man/women well-developed in a stabilized society where mirth, cooperation, and peace in inmost feelings and the reality of the person. There are many useful faculties on which Islam lean to go further in the human transactions and the mutual relationships that are assumed to be substantially successful. In the following lines, there are going to be mentioned some of the Islamic faculties that pay attention to the human deeds in Islam.
1. The orphans:
Allah Almighty urges the prophet Muhammad peace be upon him to take care of the orphan:
{{Therefore, treat not the orphan with oppression,}} (Holly Qur’an 93:9)
It is not only ordained to take care of the orphan but also to treat him/her kindly and affectionately. This attitude is very lucrative before Allah Almighty for the person will gain the mercy and the reward from the Lord of the world. This is considered as the path of the righteousness in the Holy Qur'an,
{{It is not Al-Birr (piety, righteousness, and each and every act of obedience to Allâh, etc.) that you turn your faces towards east and (or) west (in prayers); but Al-Birr is (the quality of) the one who believes in Allâh, the Last Day, the Angels, the Book, the Prophets and gives his wealth, in spite of love for it, to the kinsfolk, to the orphans, and to Al-Masâkin (the poor), and to the wayfarer, and to those who ask, and to set slaves free, performs As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), and gives the Zakât, and who fulfill their covenant when they make it, and who are As-Sâbirin (the patient ones, etc.) in extreme poverty and ailment (disease) and at the time of fighting (during the battles). Such are the people of the truth and they are Al¬Muttaqûn (pious)}}
(Holly Qur’an 2:177)
2. Science:
Islam is known as the religion of the science for there are no conflicts between the science and the religion. This means that Islam does not prohibit the path of knowledge and science, but it rather imposes on Muslims to seek the Lore so as to be in high levels in the paradise.
{{ .. Say: "Are those who know equal to those who know not?" It is only men of understanding who will remember}} (Holly Qur’an 39: 9)
Furthermore, the scholars are the best people to know the greatness and glory of Allah Almighty to the extent to fear Him. This is utterly furthered in the Holy Qur'an,
{{It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allâh. Verily, Allâh is All¬Mighty, Oft ¬Forgiving. }} (Holly Qur’an 35:28)
To boot, one has to add that the messenger of Allah Muhammad peace be upon him used to urge the Muslims to seek the path of knowledge. He used to say:
"Whoever has sought the path to knowledge, Allah Almighty will pave the path to him to get to paradise." (Abu Dawood 3645)
The necessity of science in Islam is based on knowing the ultimate truth about the world to decipher the codes of oneself, the surroundings, the others, and the universe. This substantial truth will enable the person to know one's creator so as to praise His Almighty and to pray to Him as He only wants us to do.
3. The environment:
If one takes golden shots of the Islamic practice towards the environment, one can discern the huge care of Muslims towards the environment.
The Prophet, upon him be blessings and peace, declared:
- "If any Muslim plants a tree or sows a field, and a human, bird or animal eats from it, it shall be reckoned as charity from him." (Bukhari 2320)
- "If the day of resurrection comes upon anyone of you while he has a seedling in hand, let him plant it." (Ahmed 13240)
- "Faith ( believing ) is more than seventy ways , highest is the testimony of ( No God But Allah ), and the lowest is to remove any harm ( dirt, rock, … etc.) from road." (Muslim: 162)
- "Removing Harms from roads is a charity."
(Bukhari; 24)
«No harm and no inflicting harm» (Ibn Magah 2430), Means you shouldn't make nothing Harm to others or to your self (smoking, noise …etc.)
This positive attitude involves taking measures to improve all aspects of life: health, nutrition, and the psychological and spiritual dimensions, for man's benefit and the maintenance of his welfare, as well as for the betterment of life for all future generations.
And as is shown in the Prophetic declarations above, the aim of both the conservation and development of the environment in Islam is the universal good of all created beings.
4. Racism:
There is no difference between people in Islam for the human beings are all equal and the favorites to Allah Almighty are the most pious ones. This is clearly expounded in Islam to demarcate the relationships between the people and to define the status of nobility that is correlated to only piety instead of the race, color, and wealth.
{{O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you with Allâh is that (believer) who has At-Taqwa [i.e. one of the Muttaqûn (pious)]. Verily, Allâh is All-Knowing, All-Aware.}}
(Holly Qur’an 49:13)
The practice of equity in Islam is quite clear during the pilgrimage in Mecca,
"(The Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca) was an exhilarating experience to see people belonging to different colours, races and nationalities, kings, heads of states and ordinary men from very poor countries all clad in two simple white sheets praying to God without any sense of either pride or inferiority. It was a practical manifestation of the concept of equally in Islam." Cassius Clay, now Muhammad Ali.
It goes without saying that there is no problem in Islam about the white and Black people. The Muslims do not treat people well or badly because of their colors for they are all created by one God: Allah Almighty.
5. The Rights of Animals:
Allah Almighty has made important value to the animals as they are created by Him. One has to be nice towards the animals and to treat them as good as one can do for they are creatures like us: they feel, smell, sleep, work, cooperate etc.
The prophet Mohammad peace be upon him has stated,
"Allah has ordained beneficence in everything. Thus, if you kill do it well; and if you slaughter, perform well. You have to sharpen your lame so as to soothe the slain animal." (Muslim. 5167)
From this perspective, one has to know that it is forbidden to kill animals in Islam unless one slaughters them in order to eat them like cows, fish, chicken etc.
It is also ordered not to torture the animals in any case. These animals are to be respected as creatures of Allah Almighty. It is narrated that Ibn Omar has passed by young guys who were playing with a little bird by the use of their arrows. The guys escaped when they had seen him. He looked upon this poor bird and said, " The animals must be treated well for the Muslim must be in tandem with nature that is surrounding him for his/her own benefits and the other creatures' benefits.
Also, let's remember the Hadith of Muhammad (peace be upon him) - "If any Muslim plants a tree or sows a field and a human, bird or animal eats from it, it shall be reckoned as charity from him." (Bukhari; 2320)
The messenger of Allah Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to say," Who has hurt this bird? Woe be to the one who has done this torment to it! The messenger of Allah, Muhammad (peace be upon him) has cursed whoever dares to play or hurt anything that has a soul – like an animal-" it is narrated by the two Sheikhs: Al Bukhari and Muslim. The messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) had also stated, "Don't cause damage or detriment". That is to say the bullfighting and the cockfighting are extremely forbidden in Islam for they cause a great damage for animals. All of this hurt is done for the sake of the unmerciful people. Though, this saying means one is not to hurt oneself or the others for every creature in the world has his/her/its own rights to be protected for the sake of the Lord of the world.
6. The Rights of the prisoners:
Allah Almighty has forbidden the Muslims to harm the human beings who are prisoners of war. The case that they are prisoners does not deny their human rights for they need to be considered carefully with all the respect a person deserve in a humane attitude. For instance, torture is very prohibited Islam. The messenger of Allah Muhammad peace be upon him stated, “Do not mutilate.” (Narrated by Muslim 3/1357) This is assumed to be practiced in Islam among Muslims.
Furthermore, Islam urges the person to treat well the prisoners and even to release them for their rights to be simply free as respectful human beings.
The messenger of Allah Muhammad peace be upon him had insisted in the Hadith of Sahih, "You have to nourish the hungry person, visit the sick person, and release the prisoner", it is narrated by (Al Bukhari)
This attitude in Islam is considered as one of the acts of respect and cooperation among the human beings in the Muslim society. The Muslim are to be united as one body; and in case a part of the body, regardless of its smallness, is suffering, the whole will automatically stay up and has a fever all the time till this part of body will be recovered and fine.
The parents:
The parents are to be seriously cared of for the sake of Allah Almighty Who has ordained people to do as follows:
{{Worship Allâh and join none with Him in worship, and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, Al-Masâkin (the poor), the neighbour who is near of kin, the neighbour who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and those (slaves) whom your right hands possess. Verily, Allâh does not like such as are proud and boastful.}}
(Holly Qur’an 4:36)
Allah Almighty has enjoined His worshipping to the good deed towards the parents for they are the ones who has raised the child up and educated him/her to be in the position that he/she is in there.
{{And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honour., And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: "My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was small."}} (Holly Qur’an 17: 23-24(
One of the men had asked the messenger of Allah Muhammad peace be upon him about whom the most important in the view of Allah to care about. The messenger of Allah had answered, "Your mother". He has said it thrice, and in the fourth time the man had asked him again, he answered, "your father". This statement gives the evidence to people to take care of their parents, especially the mother who has been pregnant for nine months to bring the person to life. The mother has suffered a lot to bring up the child, and then, it is extremely necessary to treat her well and to be nice towards her as a valuable gem in the heart of the person who embodies one's thoughts and reverent feelings in good acts and sincere gratitude. In a word, Islam cares about the nub of the society that is called the family.
Conclusion
Coming to the end of this book, one has to point out that the seeker of the right path has to be look forward to rummaging the correct source with the right people to know the total truth. This seems to be quite hard in the middle of the chaos of the media and the misshapen features of Islam because the misdeeds of some Muslims. Definitely, one has to ask Allah Almighty to show him/her the absolute truth and the ultimate facts of the world to know what to choose and to be quite certain of the right thing to do towards Him Almighty, towards oneself and others. These are some useful links to look upon with all of our devout wishes.
www.sultan.org
www.islam-guide.com
www.islamhouse.com
www.beconvinced.com
*******s
*******s Page
Islam In Brief 1
PREFACE 2
Chapter One 3
The Creator 3
Unity of God: 6
What are the proofs that betoken Allah Almighty's existence? 7
Why Does Allah create the human being? 13
Attributes of God (Allah): 17
Chapter Two 21
What is Islam? 21
Why was this religion named Islam? 21
The Message of Islam: 22
The Six Pillars of Faith in Islam: 24
Some Beauties of Islam: 30
How Does Someone Become a Muslim? 33
What Are the Five Pillars of Islam? 34
SOURCES OF ISLAM: 36
Chapter Three 39
The Prophet of Islam 39
Personal Character: 39
The First Revelation: 40
His Teachings: 41
Persecution: 43
Migration: 44
Spread of Islam: 46
Prophet Muhammad’s Final Years: 47
Some of his Words: 48
Chapter Four 51
Proofs of the authenticity of Islam 51
1- Samples of Scientific Miracles in the Holy Qur'an: 52
a- The smothering of the smelling in the highest places 52
b- Pharaoh died because he got drowned: 52
c- The Lowest Area on Earth: 54
d- The Qur’an on the Origin of the Universe: 56
e- The Qur’an on Mountains: 58
f- The Qur’an on Clouds: 60
g-The Qur’an on Deep Seas and Internal Waves: 64
2-Challenge to Produce Like the Holy Qur'an 67
3-Islam is Foretold in the Holy Book: 69
Chapter Five 74
Top misconceptions about Islam 74
1. Muslims are violent, terrorists. 74
2: Islam oppresses women: 76
3: Muslims worship a different God: 77
4: Islam was spread by the sword and is intolerant of other faiths: 78
5: All Muslims are Arabs: 83
6: All Muslim men marry four wives: 84
7: Muslims are barbaric and backward people: 86
8: Muhammad was the founder of Islam and Muslims worship him: 87
9: Muslims don't believe in Jesus or any other prophets: 89
Chapter Six 93
Faculties Of Islam 93
1. The orphans: 93
2. Science: 94
3. The environment: 96
4. Racism: 97
5. The Rights of Animals: 98
6. The Rights of the prisoners: 100
The parents: 101
Conclusion: 104
*******s 106
Note: Quran Versions used were: The Noble Quran, An English translation of the meanings of The Holy Quran. Translators: Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilali, Ph.D. Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan. And also,
Translation Of The Meanings Of The Glorious Quran, Translated By AbulQasim Publishing House, 1997 (Al-Muntada Alislami)
All praise to Allah.
والحمد لله رب العالمين