Allah
(God)
Islam
is the complete submission and obedience to Allah (God).
The name Allah (God) in Islam never refers to Muhammad (pbuh),
as many Christians may think; Allah is the personal name of God.
What do Muslims
believe about Allah?
1. He is the one
God, Who has no partner.
2. Nothing is like Him. He is the Creator, not created, nor a
part of His creation.
3. He is All-Powerful, absolutely Just.
4. There is no other entity in the entire universe worthy of
worship besides Him.
5. He is First, Last, and Everlasting; He was when nothing
was, and will be when nothing else remains.
6. He is the All-Knowing, and All-Merciful,the Supreme, the
Sovereign.
7. It is only He Who is capable of granting life to anything.
8. He sent His Messengers (peace be upon them) to guide all of
mankind.
9. He sent Muhammad (pbuh) as the last Prophet and Messenger
for all mankind.
10. His book is the Holy Qur'an, the only authentic revealed
book in the world that has been kept without change.
11. Allah knows what is in our hearts.
These are some of
the basic guidelines Muslims follow in their knowledge of God:
1. Eliminate any
anthropomorphism (human qualities) from their conception of
Allah. His attributes are not like human attributes,despite
similar labels or appellations.
2. Have unwavering faith in exactly what Allah and Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) described Allah to be, no more, no less.
3. Eradicate any hope or desire of learning or knowing the
modality of His names and attributes.
4. Belief totally in all the names and attributes of Allah;
one cannot believe in some and disbelieve the others.
5. One cannot accept the names of Allah without their
associated attributes, i.e. one cannot say He is Al-Hayy -
'The Living' and then say that He is without life.
6. Similarity in names (or meanings) does not imply similarity
in what is being described (referents). As a robotic arm
differs from a human arm, so the "hand" of Allah is
nothing like a human hand, His speech is nothing like human
speech, etc.
7. Certain words are ambiguous or vague in their meanings, and
thus may be susceptible to misinterpretation. Only those
meanings that are in accordance with what is specified by
Allah and His Prophet (pbuh) are acceptable.
Cleanliness
Islam
places great emphasis on cleanliness, in both its physical and
spiritual aspects. On the physical side, Islam requires the
Muslim to clean his body, his clothes, his house, and the whole
community, and he is rewarded by God for doing so. Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) said, for example:
"Removing any
harm from the road is charity (that will be rewarded by
Allah)." [Bukhari]
While people
generally consider cleanliness a desirable attribute, Islam
insists on it , making it an indispensible fundamental of the
faith. A muslim is required to to be pure morally and
spiritually as well as physically. Through the Qur'an and Sunnah
Islam requires the sincere believer to sanitize and purify his
entire way of life.
In the Qur'an Allah
commends those who are accustomed to cleanliness:
"Allah loves
those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep
themselves pure and clean." [2: 22]
In Islam the Arabic
term for purity is Taharah. Books of Islamic jurisprudence often
contain an entire chapter with Taharah as a heading.
Allah orders the
believer to be tidy in appearance:
"Keep your
clothes clean." [74:4]
The Qur'an insists
that the believer maintain a constant state of purity:
"Believers!
When you prepare for prayer wash your faces, and your hands
(and arms) to the elbows; rub your heads (with water) and
(wash) your feet up to the ankles. If you are ritually impure
bathe your whole body." [5: 6]
Ritual impurity
refers to that resulting from sexual release, menstruation and
the first forty days after childbirth. Muslims also use water,
not paper or anything else to after eliminating body wastes.
Prophet Muhammad )pbuh)
advised the Muslims to appear neat and tidy in private and in
public. Once when returning home from battle he advised his
army:
"You are soon
going to meet your brothers, so tidy your saddles and clothes.
Be distinguished in the eyes of the people." [Abu Dawud]
On another occasion
he said:
"Don't ever
come with your hair and beard disheveled like a devil."
[Al-Tirmidhi]
And on another:
"Had I not
been afraid of overburdening my community, I would have
ordered them to brush their teeth for every prayer." [Bukhari]
Moral hygeine was
not ignored, either, for the Prophet (pbuh) encouraged the
muslims to make a special prayer upon seeing themselves in the
mirror:
"Allah, You
have endowed me with a good form; likewise bless me with an
immaculate character and forbid my face from touching the
Hellfire." [Ahmad]
And modesty in
dress, for men as well as for women, assists one in maintaining
purity of thought.
Being charitable is
a way of purifying one's wealth. A Muslim who does not give
charity (Sadaqah) and pay the required annual Zakah, the 2.5%
alms-tax, has in effect contaminated his wealth by hoarding that
which rightfully belongs to others:
"Of their
wealth take alms so that you may purify and sanctify
them." [9: 103]
All the laws and
injunctions given by Allah and His Prophet (pbuh) are pure; on
the other hand, man-made laws suffer from the impurities of
human bias and other imperfections. Thus any formal law can only
be truly just when it is purified by divine guidance - as
elucidated by the Qur'an and the Sunnah - or if it is divinely
ordained to begin with - the Shari'ah.
Muslims
Contribution To Science
Astronomy
Muslims have always
had a special interest in astronomy. The moon and the sun are of
vital importance in the daily life of every Muslim. By the moon,
Muslims determine the beginning and the end of the months in
their lunar calendar. By the sun the Muslims calculate the times
for prayer and fasting. It is also by means of astronomy that
Muslims can determine the precise direction of the Qiblah, to
face the Ka'bah in Makkah, during prayer. The most precise solar
calendar, superior to the Julian, is the Jilali, devised under
the supervision of Umar Khayyam.
The Qur'an contains
many references to astronomy.
"The heavens
and the earth were ordered rightly, and were made subservient
to man, including the sun, the moon, the stars, and day and
night. Every heavenly body moves in an orbit assigned to it by
God and never digresses, making the universe an orderly cosmos
whose life and existence, diminution and expansion, are
totally determined by the Creator." [Qur'an 30:22]
These references,
and the injunctions to learn, inspired the early Muslim scholars
to study the heavens. They integrated the earlier works of the
Indians, Persians and Greeks into a new synthesis. Ptolemy's
Almagest (the title as we know it is Arabic) was translated,
studied and criticized. Many new stars were discovered, as we
see in their Arabic names - Algol, Deneb, Betelgeuse, Rigel,
Aldebaran. Astronomical tables were compiled, among them the
Toledan tables, which were used by Copernicus, Tycho Brahe and
Kepler. Also compiled were almanacs - another Arabic term. Other
terms from Arabic are zenith, nadir, albedo, azimuth.
Muslim astronomers
were the first to establish observatories, like the one built at
Mugharah by Hulagu, the son of Genghis Khan, in Persia, and they
invented instruments such as the quadrant and astrolabe, which
led to advances not only in astronomy but in oceanic navigation,
contributing to the European age of exploration.
Geography
Muslim scholars paid
great attention to geography. In fact, the Muslims' great
concern for geography originated with their religion. The Qur'an
encourages people to travel throughout the earth to see God's
signs and patterns everywhere. Islam also requires each Muslim
to have at least enough knowledge of geography to know the
direction of the Qiblah (the position of the Ka'bah in Makkah)
in order to pray five times a day. Muslims were also used to
taking long journeys to conduct trade as well as to make the
Hajj and spread their religion. The far-flung Islamic empire
enabled scholar-explorers to compile large amounts of
geographical and climatic information from the Atlantic to the
Pacific.
Among the most
famous names in the field of geography, even in the West, are
Ibn Khaldun and Ibn Batuta, renowned for their written accounts
of their extensive explorations.
In 1166, Al-Idrisi,
the well-known Muslim scholar who served the Sicilian court,
produced very accurate maps, including a world map with all the
continents and their mountains, rivers and famous cities. Al-Muqdishi
was the first geographer to produce accurate maps in color.
It was, moreover,
with the help of Muslim navigators and their inventions that
Magellan was able to traverse the Cape of Good Hope, and Da Gama
and Columbus had Muslim navigators on board their ships.
Humanity
Seeking knowledge is
obligatory in Islam for every Muslim, man and woman. The main
sources of Islam, the Qur'an and the Sunnah (Prophet Muhammad's
traditions), encourage Muslims to seek knowledge and be
scholars, since this is the best way for people to know Allah
(God), to appreciate His wondrous creations and be thankful for
them. Muslims were therefore eager to seek knowledge, both
religious and secular, and within a few years of Muhammad's
mission, a great civilization sprang up and flourished. The
outcome is shown in the spread of Islamic universities; Al-Zaytunah
in Tunis, and Al-Azhar in Cairo go back more than 1,000 years
and are the oldest existing universities in the world. Indeed,
they were the models for the first European universities, such
as Bologna, Heidelberg, and the Sorbonne. Even the familiar
academic cap and gown originated at Al-Azhar University.
Muslims made great
advances in many different fields, such as geography, physics,
chemistry, mathematics, medicine, pharmacology, architecture,
linguistics and astronomy. Algebra and the Arabic numerals were
introduced to the world by Muslim scholars. The astrolabe, the
quadrant, and other navigational devices and maps were developed
by Muslim scholars and played an important role in world
progress, most notably in Europe's age of exploration.
Muslim scholars
studied the ancient civilations from Greece and Rome to China
and India. The works of Aristotle, Ptolemy, Euclid and others
were translated into Arabic. Muslim scholars and scientists then
added their own creative ideas, discoveries and inventions, and
finally transmitted this new knowledge to Europe, leading
directly to the Rennaissance. Many scientific and medical
treatises, having been translated into Latin, were standard text
and reference books as late as the 17th and 18th centuries.
Mathematics
It is interesting to
note that Islam so strongly urges mankind to study and explore
the universe. For example, the Holy Qur'an states:
"We (Allah)
will show you (mankind) Our signs/patterns in the
horizons/universe and in yourselves until you are convinced
that the revelation is the truth." [Qur'an, 14:53]
This invitation to
explore and search made Muslims interested in astronomy,
mathematics, chemistry, and the other sciences, and they had a
very clear and firm understanding of the correspondences among
geometry, mathematics, and astronomy.
The Muslims invented
the symbol for zero (The word "cipher" comes from
Arabic sifr), and they organized the numbers into the decimal
system - base 10. Additionally, they invented the symbol to
express an unkown quantity, i.e. variables like x.
The first great
Muslim mathematician, Al-Khawarizmi, invented the subject of
algebra (al-Jabr), which was further developed by others, most
notably Umar Khayyam. Al-Khawarizmi's work, in Latin
translation, brought the Arabic numerals along with the
mathematics to Europe, through Spain. The word
"algorithm" is derived from his name.
Muslim
mathematicians excelled also in geometry, as can be seen in
their graphic arts, and it was the great Al-Biruni (who excelled
also in the fields of natural history, even geology and
mineralogy) who established trigonometry as a distinct branch of
mathematics. Other Muslim mathematicians made significant
progress in number theory.
Medicine
In Islam, the human
body is a source of appreciation, as it is created by Almighty
Allah (God). How it functions, how to keep it clean and safe,
how to prevent diseases from attacking it or cure those
diseases, have been important issues for Muslims.
Prophet Muhammad
himself urged people to "take medicines for your
diseases", as people at that time were reluctant to do so.
He also said,
"God created
no illness, but established for it a cure, except for old age.
When the antidote is applied, the patient will recover with
the permission of God."
This was strong
motivation to encourage Muslim scientists to explore, develop,
and apply empirical laws. Much attention was given to medicine
and public health care. The first hospital was built in Baghdad
in 706 AC. The Muslims also used camel caravans as mobile
hospitals, which moved from place to place.
Since the religion
did not forbid it, Muslim scholars used human cadavers to study
anatomy and physiology and to help their students understand how
the body functions. This empirical study enabled surgery to
develop very quickly.
Al-Razi, known in
the West as Rhazes, the famous physician and scientist, (d. 932)
was one of the greatest physicians in the world in the Middle
Ages. He stressed empirical observation and clinical medicine
and was inrivalled as a diagnostician. He also wrote a treatise
on hygeine in hospitals. Khalaf Abul-Qasim Al-Zahrawi was a very
famous surgeon in the eleventh century, known in Europe for his
work, Concessio (Kitab al-Tasrif).
Ibn Sina (d. 1037),
better known to the West as Avicenna, was perhaps the greatest
physician until the modern era. His famous book, Al-Qanun fi
al-Tibb, remained a standard textbook even in Europe, for over
700 years. Ibn Sina's work is still studied and built upon in
the East.
Other significant
contributions were made in pharmacology, such as Ibn Sina's
Kitab al-Shifa' (Book of Healing), and in public health. Every
major city in the Islamic world had a number of excellent
hospitals, some of them teaching hospitals, and many of them
were specialized for particular diseases, including mental and
emotional. The Ottomans were particularly noted for their
building of hospitals and for the high level of hygeine
practiced in them.
Definition
The
word ISLAM has a two-fold meaning: peace, and submission to God.
This submission requires a fully conscious and willing effort to
submit to the one Almighty God. One must consciously and
conscientiously give oneself to the service of Allah. This means
to act on what Allah enjoins all of us to do (in the Qur'an) and
what His beloved Prophet, Muhammad (pbuh) encouraged us to do in
his Sunnah (his lifestyle and sayings personifying the Qur'an).
Once we humble
ourselves, rid ourselves of our egoism and submit totally to
Allah, and to Him exclusively, in faith and in action, we will
surely feel peace in our hearts. Establishing peace in our
hearts will bring about peace in our external conduct as well.
Islam is careful to
remind us that it not a religion to be paid mere lip service;
rather it is an all-encompassing way of life that must be
practiced continuously for it to be Islam. The Muslim must
practice the five pillars of the religion: the declaration of
faith in the oneness of Allah and the prophethood of Muhammad
(pbuh), prayer, fasting the month of Ramadan, alms-tax, and the
pilgrimage to Makkah; and believe in the six articles of faith:
belief in God, the Holy Books, the prophets, the angels, the Day
of Judgment and God's decree, whether for good or ill.
There are other
injunctions and commandments which concern virtually all facets
of one's personal, family and civic life. These include such
matters as diet, clothing, personal hygeine, interpersonal
relations, business ethics, responsibilities towards parents,
spouse and children, marriage, divorce and inheritance, civil
and criminal law, fighting in defense of Islam, relations with
non-Muslims, and so much more.
Human
Rights
Islam
has been from its inception very concerned with issues of human
rights. Privacy, freedom, dignity and equality are guaranteed in
Islam. The holy Qur'an states clearly:
"There is no
compulsion in religion."
And there are no
reliable reports to confirm the old accusations that when the
Muslim armies were expanding into Asia, Africa and Europe the
people were put to the sword if they failed to convert to Islam.
The best proof is that not only did the Christians, Jews,
Zoroastrians and Hindus in those areas not perish or otherwise
disappear, they actually flourished as protected minority
communities, and many individuals rose to prominent positions in
the arts, sciences, even in government.
The lives,property
and privacy of all citizens in an Islamic state are considered
sacred, whether or not the person is Muslim. Non-Muslims have
freedom of worship and the practice of their religions,
including their own family law and religious courts. They are
obliged to pay a different tax (Jizyah) instead of the Zakah,
and the state is obligated to provide both protection and
government services. Before the modern era it was extremely rare
to find a state or government anywhere in the world that was as
solicitous of its minorities and their civil rights as the
Islamic states.
In no other religion
did women receive such a degree of legal and moral equality and
personal respect. Moreover, racism and tribalism are
incompatible with Islam, for the Qur'an speaks of human equality
in the following terms:
"Mankind! We
created you from a single soul, male and female, and made you
into nations and tribes, that you may come to know one
another. Truly, the most honored of you in God's sight is the
greatest of you in piety."
Jesus
Islam
honors all the prophets who were sent to mankind. Muslims
respect all prophets in general, but Jesus in particular,
because he was one of the prophets who foretold the coming of
Muhammad. Muslims, too, await the second coming of Jesus. They
consider him one of the greatest of Allah's prophets to mankind.
A Muslim does not refer to him simply as "Jesus," but
normally adds the phrase "peace be upon him" as a sign
of respect.
No other religion in
the world respects and dignifies Jesus as Islam does. The Qur'an
confirms his virgin birth (a chapter of the Qur'an is entitled
"Mary"), and Mary is considered to have been one of
the purest women in all creation. The Qur'an describes Jesus'
birth as follows:
"Behold!' the
Angel said, God has chosen you, and purified you, and chosen
you above the women of all nations. Mary, God gives you good
news of a word from Him, whose name shall be the Messiah,
Jesus son of Mary, honored in this world and in the Hereafter,
and one of those brought near to God. He shall speak to the
people from his cradle and in maturity, and he shall be of the
righteous. She said: "My Lord! How shall I have a son
when no man has touched me?' He said: "Even so; God
creates what He will. When He decrees a thing, He says to it,
'Be!' and it is." [3:42-47]
Muslims believe that
Jesus was born immaculately, and through the same power which
had brought Eve to life and Adam into being without a father or
a mother.
"Truly, the
likeness of Jesus with God is as the likeness of Adam. He
created him of dust, and then said to him, 'Be!' and he
was." [3:59]
During his prophetic
mission, Jesus performed many miracles. The Qur'an tells us that
he said:
"I have come
to you with a sign from your Lord: I make for you out of clay,
as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it and it
becomes a bird by God's leave. And I heal the blind, and the
lepers, and I raise the dead by God's leave." [3:49]
Muhammad and Jesus,
as well as the other prophets, were sent to confirm the belief
in one God. This is referred to in the Qur'an where Jesus is
reported as saying that he came:
"To attest
the law which was before me, and to make lawful to you part of
what was forbidden you; I have come to you with a sign from
your Lord, so fear God and obey me." [3:50]
Prophet Muhammad
emphasized the importance of Jesus by saying:
"Whoever
believes there is no god but Allah, alone without partner,
that Muhammad is His messenger, that Jesus is a servant and
messenger of God, His word breathed into Mary and a spirit
emanating from Him, and that Paradise and Hell are true, shall
be received by God into Heaven. [Bukhari]
Knowledge
Islam
urges people to read and learn on every occasion. The verses of
the Qur'an command, advise, warn, and encourage people to
observe the phenomena of nature, the succession of day and
night, the movements of stars, the sun, moon, and other heavenly
bodies. Muslims are urged to look into everything in the
universe, to travel, investigate, explore and understand them,
the better to appreciate and be thankful for all the wonders and
beauty of God's creations. The first revelation to Muhammad
showed how much Islam cares about knowledge.
"Read, in the
name of your Lord, Who created..." [96:1]
Learning is
obligatory for both men and women. Moreover, education is not
restricted to religious issues; it includes all fields of
knowledge, including biology, physics, and technology. Scholars
have the highest status in Islam, second only to that accorded
to prophets.
Almost from the very
beginnings of the Islamic state Muslims began to study and to
master a number of fields of so-called secular learning,
beginning with linguistics and architecture, but very quickly
extending to mathematics, physics, astronomy, geography,
medicine, chemistry and philosophy. They translated and
synthesized the known works of the ancient world, from Greece,
Persia, India, even China. Before long they were criticizing,
improving and expanding on that knowledge. Centuries before the
European Rennaissance there were Muslim ³Rennaissance² men,
men who were simultaneously explorers, scientists, philosophers,
physicians and poets, like Ibn Sina (Avicenna), Umar Khayyam,
and others.
Main
Pillars
Shahadah
The first pillar of
Islam is that a Muslim believe and declare his faith by saying
the Shahadah (lit. 'witness'), also known as the Kalimah:
La ilaha ila
Allah; Muhammadur-rasul Allah. 'There is no god but Allah;
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.'
This declaration
contains two parts. The first part refers to God Almighty, the
Creator of everything, the Lord of the Worlds; the second part
refers to the Messenger, Muhammad (pbuh) a prophet and a human
being, who received the revelation through the Archangel
Gabriel, and taught it to mankind.
By sincerely
uttering the Shahadah the Muslim acknowledges Allah as the sole
Creator of all, and the Supreme Authority over everything and
everyone in the universe. Consequently the Muslim closes his/her
heart and mind to loyalty, devotion and obedience to, trust in,
reliance on, and worship of anything or anyone other than Allah.
This rejection is not confined merely to pagan gods and
goddesses of wood and stone and created by human hands and
imaginations; this rejection must extend to all other
conceptions, superstitions, ideologies, ways of life, and
authority figures that claim supreme devotion, loyalty, trust,
love, obedience or worship. This entails, for example, the
rejection of belief in such common things as astrology, palm
reading, good luck charms, fortune-telling and psychic readings,
in addition to praying at shrines or graves of
"saints", asking the dead souls to intercede for them
with Allah. There are no intercessors in Islam, nor any class of
clergy as such; a Muslim prays directly and exclusively to
Allah.
Belief in the
prophethood of Muhammad (pbuh) entails belief in the guidance
brought by him and contained in his Sunnah (traditions of his
sayings and actions), and demands of the Muslim the intention to
follow his guidance faithfully. Muhammad (pbuh) was also a human
being, a man with feelings and emotions, who ate, drank and
slept, and was born and died, like other men. He had a pure and
upright nature, extraordinary righteousness, and an unwavering
faith in Allah and commitment to Islam, but he was not divine.
Muslims do not pray to him, not even as an intercessor, and
Muslims abhor the terms "Mohamedan" and
"Mohamedanism".
Salah
Prayer (Salah), in
the sense of worship, is the second pillar of Islam. Prayer is
obligatory and must be performed five times a day. These five
times are dawn (Fajr), immediately after noon (Dhuhr),
mid-afternoon ('Asr), sunset (Maghrib), and early night (Isha').
Ritual cleanliness and ablution are required before prayer, as
are clean clothes and location, and the removal of shoes. One
may pray individually or communally, at home, outside, virtually
any clean place, as well as in a mosque, though the latter is
preferred. Special is the Friday noon prayer, called Jum'ah. It,
too, is obligatory and is to be done in a mosque, in
congregation. It is accompanied by a sermon (Khutbah), and it
replaces the normal Dhuhr prayer.
There is no
hierarchical clerical authority in Islam, no priests or
ministers. Prayers are led by any learned person who knows the
Qur'an and is chosen by the congregation. He (or she, if the
congregation is all women) is called the imam. There is also no
minimum number of congregants required to hold communal prayers.
Prayer consists of verses from the Qur'an and other prayers,
accompanied by various bodily postures - standing, bowing,
prostrating and sitting. They are said in Arabic, the language
of the revelation, though personal supplications (Du'ah) can be
offered in one's own language. Worshippers face the Qiblah, the
direction of the Ka'bah in the city of Makkah.
The significance of
prayer lies in one's maintaining a continuous link to God five
times a day, which helps the worshipper avoid misdeeds if he/she
performs the prayers sincerely. In addition it promotes
discipline, God-consciousness and placing one's trust in Allah
alone, and the importance of striving for the Hereafter. When
performed in congregation it also provides a strong sense of
community, equality and brotherhood/sisterhood.
Sawm
The fourth pillar of
Islam is fasting. Allah prescribes daily fasting for all able,
adult Muslims during the whole of the month of Ramadan, the
ninth month of the lunar calendar, beginning with the sighting
of the new moon. Exempted from the fast are the very old and the
insane. On the physical side, fasting is from first light of
dawn until sundown, abstaining from food, drink, and sexual
relations. On the moral, behavioral side, one must abstain from
lying, malicious gossip, quarreling and trivial nonsense.
Those who are sick,
elderly, or on a journey, and women who are menstruating,
pregnant, or nursing are permitted to break the fast, but must
make up an equal number of days later in the year. If physically
unable to do so, they must feed a needy person for each day
missed. Children begin to fast (and to observe the prayers) from
puberty, although many start earlier.
Although fasting is
beneficial to the health, it is regarded principally as a method
of self-purification. By cutting oneself off from worldly
pleasures and comforts, even for a short time, the fasting
person gains true sympathy for those who go hungry regularly,
and achieves growth in his spiritual life, learning discipline,
self-restraint, patience and flexibility.
In addition to the
fast proper, one is encouraged to read the entire Qur'an. In
addition, special prayers, called Tarawih, are held in the
mosque every night of the month, during which a whole section of
the Qur'an (Juz') is recited, so that by the end of the month
the entire Qur'an has been completed. These are done in
remembrance of the fact that the revelation of the Qur'an to
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was begun during Ramadan.
During the last ten
days - though the exact day is never known and may not even be
the same every year - occurs the Night of Power (Laylat
al-Qadr). To spend that night in worship is equivalent to a
thousand months of worship, i.e. Allah's reward for it is very
great.
On the first day of
the following month, after another new moon has been sighted, a
special celebration is made, called 'Id al-Fitr. A quantity of
staple food is donated to the poor (Zakat al-Fitr), everyone has
bathed and put on their best, preferably new, clothes, and
communal prayers are held in the early morning, followed by
feasting and visiting relatives and friends.
There are other fast
days throughout the year. Muslims are encouraged to fast six
days in Shawwal, the month following Ramadan, Mondays and
Thursdays, and the ninth and tenth, or tenth and eleventh of
Muharram, the first month of the year. The tenth day, called
Ashurah, is also a fast day for the Jews (Yom Kippur), and Allah
commanded the Muslims to fast two days to distinguish themselves
from the People of the Book.
While fasting per se
is encouraged, constant fasting, as well as monasticism,
celibacy, and otherwise retreating from the real world, are
condemned in Islam. Fasting on the two festival days, 'Id
al-Fitr and 'Id al-Adha, the feast of the Hajj, is strictly
forbidden.
Zakah
The third pillar of
Islam is the alms-tax (Zakah). It is a tax on wealth, payable on
various categories of property, notably savings and investments,
produce, inventory of goods, salable crops and cattle, and
precious metals, and is to be used for the various categories of
distribution specified by Islamic law. It is also an act of
purification through sharing what one has with others.
The rationale behind
this is that Muslims believe that everything belongs to God, and
wealth is held by man as a trust. This trust must be discharged,
moreover, as instructed by God, as that portion of our wealth
legally belongs to other people and must be given to them. If we
refuse and hoard this wealth, it is considered impure and
unclean. If, for example one were to use that wealth for charity
or to finance one's pilgrimage to Makkah, those acts would also
be impure, invalid, and of course unrewarded. Allah says:
"Of their
wealth, take alms so you may purify and sanctify them."
[9:103]
The word Zakah means
purification and growth. Our possessions are purified by setting
aside that portion of it for those in need. Each Muslim
calculates his or her own Zakah individually.
For most purposes
this involves the payment each year of 2.5% of one's capital,
provided that this capital reaches a certain minimum amount that
which is not consumed by its owner. A generous person can pay
more than this amount, though it is treated and rewarded as
voluntary charity (Sadaqah). This amount of money is provided to
bridge the gap between the rich and the poor, and can be used in
many useful projects for the welfare of the community.
Historically the
pillar of Zakah became mandatory on Muslims form the second year
after the Hijrah, 622 C.E. It is mentioned more than thirty
times in the Qur'an, usually in the same breath as Salah. So
important is this pillar that one is not considered a part of
the Islamic brotherhood if one ignores this obligation.
Hajj
The fifth pillar of
Islam is to make a pilgrimage (Hajj) to Makkah, in Saudi Arabia,
at least once in one's lifetime. This pillar is obligatory for
every Muslim, male or female, provided that he/she is physically
and financially able to do so. Prerequisites for performing the
Hajj are to be a Muslim, to be free, to be an adult or mature
enough, to be of sound mind, and to have the ability to afford
the journey and maintain one's dependents back home for the
duration. The reward for the Hajj is nothing less than Paradise.
The Hajj is the
ultimate form of worship, as it involves the spirit of all the
other rituals and demands of the believer great sacrifice. On
this unique occasion, nearly two million Muslims from all over
the globe meet one another in a given year. Regardless of the
season, pilgrims wear special clothes (Ihram) - two, very
simple, unsewn white garments - which strips away all
distinctions of wealth, status, class and culture; all stand
together and equal before Allah (God).
The rites of Hajj,
which go back to the time of Prophet Abraham who built the
Ka'bah, are observed over five or six days, beginning on the
eighth day of the last month of the year, named Dhul-Hijjah
(pilgrimage). These rites include circumambulating the Ka'bah
(Tawwaf), and going between the mountains of Safa and Marwah, as
Hajjar (Abraham's wife) did during her search for water for her
son Isma'il. Then the pilgrims stand together on the wide plain
of Arafah and join in prayers for God's forgiveness, in what is
often thought of as a preview of the Last Judgment. The pilgrims
also cast stones at a stone pillar which represents Satan. The
pilgrimage ends with a festival, called 'Id al-Adha, which is
celebrated with prayers, the sacrifice of an animal, and the
exchange of greetings and gifts in Muslim communities
everywhere.
Muhammad
Muhammad
(pbuh) was an illiterate but wise and well-respected man who was
born in Makkah in the year 570 C.E., at a time when Christianity
was not yet fully established in Europe. His first years were
marked by the deaths of his parents. Since his father died
before his birth, his uncle, Abu Talib, from the respected tribe
of Quraysh, raised him. As Muhammad (pbuh) grew up, he became
known for his truthfulness, generosity and sincerity, so that he
was sought after for his ability to arbitrate in disputes. His
reputation and personal qualities also led to his marriage, at
the age of twenty-five, to Khadijah, a widow whom he had
assisted in business. Thenceforth, he became an important and
trusted citizen of Makkah. Historians describe him as calm and
meditative.
Muhammad (pbuh)
never felt fully content to be part of a society whose values he
considered to be devoid of true religious significance. It
became his habit to retreat from time to time to the cave of
Hira', to meditate near the summit of Jabal al-Nur, the
"Mountain of Light", near Makkah.
At the age of 40,
while engaged in one such meditative retreat, Muhammad (pbuh)
received his first revelation from God through the Angel
Gabriel. This revelation, which continued for twenty-three
years, is known as the Qur'an, the faithful recording of the
entire revelation of God. The first revelation read:
"Recite: In
the name of your Lord Who created man from a clot (of blood).
Recite: Your Lord is Most Noble, Who taught by the pen, taught
man what he did not know." [96:1-5]
It was this reality
that he gradually and steadily came to learn and believe, until
he fully realized that it is the truth.
His first convert
was Khadijah, whose support and companionship provided necessary
reassurance and strength. He also won the support of some of his
relatives and friends. Three basic themes of the early message
were the majesty of the one, unique God, the futility of idol
worship, the threat of judgment, and the necessity of faith,
compassion and morality in human affairs. All these themes
represented an attack on the crass materialism and idolatry
prevalent in Makkah at the time. So when he began to proclaim
the message to others the Makkans rejected him. He and his small
group of followers suffered bitter persecution, which grew so
fierce that in the year 622 C.E., God gave them the command to
emigrate. This event, the Hijrah (migration), in which they left
Makkah for the city of Madinah, some 260 miles to the north,
marked the beginning of a new era and thus the beginning of the
Muslim calendar. During his suffering, Muhammad (pbuh) drew
comfort from the knowledge revealed to him about other prophets,
such as Abraham, Joseph, and Moses, each of whom had also been
persecuted and tested.
After several years
and some significant battles, the Prophet and his followers were
able to return to Makkah, where they forgave their enemies and
established Islam definitively. By the time the Prophet died, at
the age of 63, the greater part of Arabia had accepted Islam,
and within a century of his death, Islam had spread as far west
as Spain and as far east as China. It was clear that the message
was not limited to Arabs; it was for the whole of humanity.
The Prophet's
sayings (Hadith), are also believed to be revelation. The number
of sayings collected by his followers and scholars is about
10,000. Some typical examples of his sayings are as follows:
"To pursue
knowledge is obligatory on every believing (man and
woman)." [Ibn Majah]
"Removing a
harmful thing from the road is charity." [Bukhari,
Muslim]
"Those who do not show tenderness and love cannot expect
to have tenderness shown to them." [Bukhari]
"Adore Allah
(God) as though you see Him; even if you do not see Him, He
nonetheless sees you." {Bukhari, Muslim]
Although Muhammad is
deeply loved, revered and emulated by Muslims as God's final
messenger, he is not an object of worship.
Other
Religions
Islam
is the religion of all prophets. Muslims believe that all the
prophets were sent to their respective peoples from God (Allah).
They all had the same mission and message - guiding people to
the right path.
The three revealed,
monotheistic religions, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, go
back to Abraham. The prophets of these religions were directly
descended from him - Moses, Jesus and others from Isaac, but
Muhammad from IsmaŒil. It was Prophet Abraham who had
established the settlement which today is the city of Makkah,
and with his son IsmaŒil built the KaŒbah, which Muslims all
over the world face when they pray.
Christians and Jews
hold a special place in Islam. They are called the People of the
Book (Ahl al-Kitab), since the original Torah and Gospel were
also divinely revealed and they shared in the prophetic
tradition. Islamic states have nearly always shown their
religious minorities tolerance and respect and those communities
flourished under Islamic rule. God says:
"...[T]hose
who believe (in the message of Islam), and the Jews, the
Sabaeans, and the Christians - all those who believe in Allah
and the Last Day, and act righteously - no fear shall come
upon them..." [5:69]
Setting up the
Islamic state in Madinah, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) further
warned:
"Whoever
oppresses any Dhimmi (non-Muslim citizen of the Islamic
state), I shall be his prosecutor on the Day of
Judgment."
In setting up the
Islamic state, Prophet Muhammad made it inclusive of the Arabian
Jews and Christians. Their persons, properties, churches and
synagogues were protected, freedom of worship was guaranteed,
and they controlled their own community affairs with their own
civil and religious laws and courts. For most of the first
century of the Islamic state, in fact, the majority of the
citizens were Christians, enjoying peace and liberty such as
they had not had even under Christian Rome or Byzantium.
The Jews, from the
very beginning in Madinah, and later everywhere else, were
lifted from the burden of being clients of individual Arab
tribes to being citizens of the state, thus freeing them to
focus on their Jewishness. When the Islamic state expanded
outside Arabia the Jews of other lands were treated for the
first time as liberated citizens. Judaism flourished as never
before, with Jews even serving in Muslim armies and
administrations while their culture bloomed in the arts,
sciences, medicine and philosophy. This knowledge they
transmitted to their brethren in the hostile climate of
Christian Europe. Even Jewish mysticism originated under the
influence of sufism and spread to northern Europe.
When Islam reached
Persia the concept of People of the Book was extended to the
Zoroastrians as well. Later, when the Muslims conquered parts of
India and encountered Buddhists and Hindus, who appeared to
worship idols, the question was referred to the ulema (council
of scholars), who judged that even they could have the same
protected status as the Jews and Christians, so long as they did
not fight Islam and they paid the Jizyah tax.
Peace
"Peace"
is the most common word on a Muslim's tongue. Whenever two
people meet, they exchange greetings, wishing each other peace:
"Peace be upon you." But peace cannot prevail except
through justice. Since the concept of justice may differ from
one man to another, or from one society to another, Muslims
believe that real justice is that which is specified by Allah
(God).
Islam permits
fighting in self-defense, in defense of the religion, or by
those who have been expelled forcibly from their homes. At the
same time, Islam requires one to treat one's enemy mercifully.
It lays down strict rules of combat which include prohibitions
against harming civilians and against destroying crops, trees,
and livestock. Islam also requires that if an enemy declares his
desire to end hostilities and seek peace, the Muslims must do
the same.
The concept of Jihad
(struggling in the cause of Allah) is stated in the Qur'an.
Allah said: "Fight in the cause of God those who fight you,
but do not transgress limits. God does not love
transgressors." [2:19] Jihad is never to be waged to force
anybody to choose a particular religion. On the contrary, it is
to waged to protect his right to choose freely. Therefore, if
there is a force in the world that tries to prevent a person
from practicing this right, Jihad may lead to fighting the force
that is trying to prevent him from exercising free will.
Relevance
Since
Islam is the last religion revealed by Allah, it possesses some
elements that make it unique. One of these is its relevance for
human beings regardless of place and time.
This means that
Islam - submission to God - is a comprehensive institution which
includes all the guidelines necessary for all aspects of life.
Therefore, the best way to understand Islam is to look at it as
more than a religion - as a complete way of life. In other
words, it is a system which regulates every aspect of life,
dealing with all issues - social, economic, educational,
judicial, health, and even military. Thus, it is suitable for
all human beings and for all times, since it is the final
religion. Islamic law aims to achieve five goals for human
beings in life: protecting the religion, protecting one's self,
protecting one's possessions, protecting one's mind, and
protecting one's offspring.
Therefore, God
(Allah) decided on two main domains of law:
1. If the domain
always requires change and progress, Allah legislated
comprehensive yet flexible rules and gave people the chance to
create and develop the necessary laws to satisfy the specific
needs of a certain period of time. For example, in the rule of
consultation (Shura), Allah decided that it should be the
general rule for any government; however, its form and style
are left open for people to choose and decide according to
their needs.
2. If the domain
does not require or lend itself to change or progress, Allah
legislated fixed and detailed laws that govern all issues
related to a specific area. Thus, there is no way for man to
change or develop those laws, which were made for the welfare
of all mankind. For example, the area of worshipping God
contains fixed details which cannot be changed at all. These
regard prayer, fasting, making pilgrimage, etc. Another
example is in family matters, such as the laws of marriage,
divorce, and inheritance.
To show how Islam
cares for the environment, one can cite the many laws that
protect the environment. About fourteen hundred years ago.
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said:
"The world is
green and beautiful, and Allah has appointed you as His
stewards over it. He sees how you acquit yourselves."
Muhammad showed how
important plants and trees are by saying: "Whoever plants a
tree and looks after it with care until it matures and becomes
productive will be rewarded in the Hereafter." Even in the
territory of an enemy, Islam's care for plants, animals, and
trees is profound. Abu Bakr, the first Caliph, or successor, to
Muhammad (pbuh), instructed his troops that he was sending into
battle not to cut down any trees or kill any animals except for
food.
These are but a few
examples of how Islam remains relevant in the modern world.
Sources
³The
ultimate manifestation of God's grace for man, the ultimate
wisdom, and the ultimate beauty of expression: in short, the
word of God.² This is how the German scholar, Muhammad Asad,
once described the Qur'an. If one were to ask any Muslim to
depict it, most likely they would offer similar words. The
Qur'an, to the Muslim, is the irrefutable, inimitable Word of
God. It was revealed by God Almighty, through the instrument of
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The Prophet (pbuh) himself had no role
in authoring the Qur'an, he was merely a human secretary,
repeating the dictates of the Divine Creator:
"He
(Muhammad) does not speak of his own desire. It is no less
than an Inspiration sent down to him." [53:3-4]
The Qur'an was
revealed in Arabic, to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), over a period of
twenty-three years. It is composed in a style so unique, that it
cannot be deemed either poetry or prose, but somehow a mixture
of both. The Qur'an is imimitable; it cannot be simulated or
copied, and God Almighty challenges mankind to pursue such an
endeavor if he thinks he can:
"Or do they
say he forged it? Say: Bring then a chapter like unto it, and
call (to your aid) anyone you can, beside God, if it be you
speak the truth." [10:38].
The Qur'an's
language is indeed sublime, its recitation moving, as one
non-Muslim scholar noted, it was like ³the cadence of my
heartbeat². Due to its unique style of language, the Qur'an is
not only highly readable, but also relatively easy to remember.
This latter aspect has played an important role not only in the
Qur'an's preservation, but in the spiritual life of Muslims as
well. God Himself declares,
"And We have
indeed made the Qur'an easy to understand and remember; then
is there anyone that will receive admonition?" [54:17]
One of the most
important characteristics of the Qur'an is that it remains
today, the only holy book which has never changed; it has
remained free from any and all adulterations. Sir William Muir
noted, "There is probably in the world no other book which
has remained (fourteen) centuries with so pure a text." The
Qur'an was written down during the lifetime and under the
supervision of the Prophet, who himself was illiterate, and it
was canonized shortly after his death by a rigorous method which
scrutinized both written and oral traditions. Thus its
authenticity is unblemished, and is its preservation is seen as
the fulfillment of God's promise:
"We have,
without doubt, sent down the Message, and We will assuredly
guard it from corruption." [15:9]
The Qur'an is a book
which provides the human being the spiritual and intellectual
nourishment he/she craves. Its major themes include the oneness
of God, the purpose of human existence, faith and
God-consciousness, the Hereafter and its significance. The
Qur'an also lays a heavy emphasis upon reason and understanding.
In these spheres of human understanding, the Qur'an goes beyond
just satisfying the human intellect; it causes one to reflect on
implications. There are Qur'anic challenges and prophecies. One
of the most exciting fields in recent years has been the
discovery that, of the significant amount of scientific
information in the Qur'an, including the event of the Big Bang,
embryological data, and other information concerning astronomy
biology, etc., there is not a single statement that has not been
borne out by modern discoveries In short, the Qur'an fulfills
the heart, the soul, and the mind.
Perhaps the best
description of the Qur'an was given by Ali, the cousin of
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) when he expounded upon it as,
"The Book of
God. In it is the record of what was before you, the judgment
of what is among you, and the prophecies of what will come
after you. It is decisive, not a case for levity. Whoever is a
tryant and ignores the Qur'an will be destroyed by God.
Whoever seeks guidance from other than it will be misguided.
The Qur'an is the unbreakable bond of connection with God; it
is the remembrance full of wisdom and the straight path. The
Qur'an does not become distorted by tongues. nor can it be
deviated by caprices; it never dulls from repeated study;
scholars will always want more of it. The wonders of the
Qur'an are never ending. Whoever speaks from it will speak the
truth, whoever rules with it will be just, and whoever holds
fast to it will be guided to the straight path."
[Al-Tirmidhi]
Sunnah
The term Sunnah
comes from the root word sanna, which means to pave the way or
make a path easily passable, such that it becomes a commonly
followed way by everyone afterwards. Thus sunnah can be used to
describe a street or road or path on which people, animals, and
cars travel. Additionally, it can apply to a prophetic way, i.e.
the law that they brought and taught as an explanation or
further clarification of a divinely revealed book. Normally, the
prophetic way includes references to his sayings, actions,
physical features and character traits.
From the Islamic
standpoint, Sunnah refers to anything narrated or related about
the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), authentically traced to him
regarding his speech, actions, traits, and silent approvals,
before and after the revelation.
Each narration is
composed of two parts: the isnad and the matn. The isnad refers
to a chain of people who narrated a paricular narration. The
matn is the actual text of the narration. The isnad must
comprise upright and sincere individuals whose integrity is
unquestionable.
The Speech of
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
The speech of
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) refers to his sayings. For example, he
said:
"Actions are
judged by their intentions; everyone will be rewarded
according to his/her intention. So whoever migrates for the
sake of Allah and His Prophet then his migration will be noted
as a migration for the sake of Allah and His Prophet.
Conversely, one who migrates only to obtain something worldly
or to marry a woman, then his migration will be worth what he
had inteded.² [Bukhari]. The Prophet (pbuh) also said: ³Whoever
believes in Allah and the Last Day, should say something good
or keep quiet.
The above two
accounts clearly show that the Prophet (pbuh) spoke these words.
Consequently, these are known as his speech.
The Actions of
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
His actions pertain
to anything he did, as authentically reported by the Sahabah
(Companions). For instance, Hudhayfah reported that whenever the
Prophet (pbuh) got up at night, he would clean his teeth with a
tooth-stick. Also A'ishah reported that the Prophet (pbuh) loved
to do everything starting with the right side - putting on
shoes, walking, cleaning himself, and in all his affairs
generally.
The Silent
Approvals of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
His silent approvals
on different issues meant his not opposing or minding what he
saw, heard or knew of the actions or sayings of his Companions.
On one occasion, for example, the Prophet (pbuh) learned of
actions of some of his Companions from other Companions. Soon
after the battle of Khandaq, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) gave the
order to the Companions to move quickly to surround the tribe of
Banu Quraydah, encouraging them to hurry so that perhaps they
would pray 'Asr (the late afternoon prayer) there. Some of the
Companions of the Prophet (pbuh) responded immediately and left
without praying 'Asr. They arrived after sunset, pitched camp
and prayed 'Asr- after sunset. At the same time another group of
Companions formulated their judgment differently. They thought
that the Prophet (pbuh) was merely encouraging them to hasten to
their destination, rather than to delay 'Asr until after sunset.
Consequently, they decided to stay in Madinah until they had
prayed 'Asr. Immediately thereafter, they hastened towards the
tribe of Banu Quraydhah. When the Prophet (pbuh) was told of how
each group responded differently to his announcement, he (pbuh)
affirmed both judgments.
Physical and Moral
Traits of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
Everything
authentically narrated concerning the Prophet's complexion and
the rest of his physical features is also included in the
definition of sunnah. Umm Ma'bad described what she saw of the
great Prophet (pbuh). She said:
"I saw a man,
his face radiant with a bright glow, not too thin or too fat,
elegant and handsome. His eyes had a deep black hue with long
eyelashes. His voice was pleasant and his neck long. He had a
thick beard. His long black eyebrows were beautifully arched
and connected to each other. In silence, he remained
dignified, commanding utmost awe and respect. When he spoke,
his speech was brilliant. Of all people he was the most
handsome and the most pleasant, even when approaching from a
distance. In person, he was unique and most admirable. Graced
with eloquent logic, his speech was moderate. His logical
arguments were well organized as though they were a string of
gems. He was not too tall or too short, but exactly in
between. Among three, he appeared the most radiant and most
vibrant. He had companions who affectionately honored him.
When he spoke, they listened to him attentively. When he gave
orders, they were quick to execute them. They rallied around
him guarding him. He never frowned or spoke frivolously."
[Hakim]
Along with his
physical features, his Companions also described his habits and
behavior with people. Once Anas reported:
"I served the
Prophet of Allah (pbuh) for ten years. Never once did he so
much as express any bit of displeasure nor did he ever ask
'Why did you do it?' for something I did or 'Why didn't you do
it?' for something I didn't do."
From the above we
can clearly see that when the term sunnah appears in a general
context refering to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) it comprises
anything narrated about the Prophet (pbuh) and authentically
traced to him. Once a Muslim learns of the authenticity of any
narration, he/she is obliged to follow and obey it accordingly.
Such obedience is mandated by Allah as He declares
"...and obey
Allah and His Prophet and do not turn away when you hear (him
speak)." [8:20]
At times, some
Muslims are perplexed when people say that sunnah is something
only recommeded and is not mandatory. Thus they conclude that we
are only required to follow the Qur'an and not the Sunnah. Such
an argument results from a gross misunderstanding. Scholars of
Islamic jurisprudence use the term sunnah to denote what is
authentically established of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in deeds
which were not subsequentlly made mandatory by Allah.
They further hold
that this includes any saying of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) where
he encourages Muslims to do a particular task and compliments
those who imbibe such attributes. Thus to them, the term sunnah
denotes what is authentically established of Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) in deeds which he did voluntarily and which were not
subsequently made mandatory by Allah. They further hold that
this includes any saying of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) where he
encourages Muslims to do a particular task and compliments those
who imbibe such attributes. Thus to them, the term sunnah refers
to what is "recommended" and is not mandatory (fard or
wajib).
From the above, we
can clearly see that the term sunnah takes on different meanings
when used by different Islamic disciplines.
Tolerance
Freedom
of belief is guaranteed in Islam. It should be very clear that
Islam tolerates not only other faiths but even its enemies. This
is stated clearly in the Qur'an:
"God forbids
you not with regard to those who fight you not for (your)
faith, nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly
and justly with them, for God loves those who are just."
[60:8]
It is one function
of Islamic law to protect the privileged status of minorities,
and this is why non-Muslim places of worship have flourished all
over the Islamic world. Islamic law also permits non-Muslim
minorities to set up their own courts to implement family laws
drawn up by the minorities themselves and to govern their own
affairs.
History provides
many examples of Muslim tolerance towards other faiths. When the
great leader and second Caliph, Umar, entered Jerusalem in the
year 634, Islam guaranteed freedom of worship to all religious
communities in the city. In fact, so careful was Umar in setting
an example for his people that he not only went to a church to
pray, he prayed outside in the courtyard, lest his followers
after his death be tempted to convert the church into a mosque.
Islam teaches that
the closest to Allah and the most beloved of Allah are those who
are the best in piety. Thus all people, male and female, and
regardless of race, color, nationality or ethnicity, are
considered and treated as equal before Allah and before the law.
This concept of tolerance did not reach the West even in theory
until the 18th century, and in practice not until the 20th
century.
Universality
In
the Qur'an, Allah says:
"We have sent
you (Muhammad) as a mercy for all nations." [21:107]
Thus Islam is not
restricted to any particular race or nation, as many other
religions are, but is universal, meaning that its message
applies to all humanity, at all times, in all places.
Since Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) was the last prophet and messenger, his message
applies to all future generations. All previous prophets, from
Adam, Noah and Abraham to Moses and Jesus, were also Muslims:
"Not a single
messenger did We send before you without this inspiration sent
by Us to him - that there is no god but I, therefore worship
and serve Me." [21:25]
Since the Qur'an is
the final testament, with every word and every letter
unadulterated and unchanged, and protected by Allah from any
change or tampering, it is the final revelation, and no other
law will ever supersede it.
It applies,
moreover, to every aspect of one's daily life, including
personal, social, legal, economic, political, even military.
Furthermore, Islam affects every part of the individual -
physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.
Women
At
a time when the rest of the world, from Greece and Rome to India
and China, considered women as no better than children or even
slaves, with no rights whatsoever, Islam acknowledged women's
equality with men in a great many respects. The Qur'an states:
"And among
His signs is this: that He created mates for you form
yourselves that you may find rest, peace of mind in them, and
He ordained between you love and mercy. Lo, herein indeed are
signs for people who reflect." [30:21]
Prophet Muhammad
said:
"The most
perfect in faith amongst believers is he who is best in
manners and kindest to his wife." [Abu Dawud]
Muslims believe that
Adam and Eve were created from the same soul. Both were equally
guilty of their sin and fall from grace, and both were forgiven
by Allah. Many women in Islam have had high status; consider the
fact that the first person to convert to Islam was Khadijah,the
wife of Muhammad, whom he both loved and respected. His favorite
wife after Khadijah's death, AŒisha, became renowned as a
scholar and one of the greatest sources of Hadith literature.
Many of the female Companions accomplished great deeds and
achieved fame, and throughout Islamic history there have been
famous and influential scholars, jurists and mystics.
With regard to
education, both women and men have the same rights and
obligations. This is clear in Prophet Muhammad's saying:
"Seeking
knowledge is mandatory for every believer." [Ibn Majah]
This implies men and
women.
A woman is to be
treated as God has endowed her, with rights, such as to be
treated as an individual, with the right to own and dispose of
her own property and earnings, enter into contracts, even after
marriage. She has the right to be educated and to work outside
the home if she so chooses. She has the right to inherit from
her father, mother, and husband. A very interesting point to
note is that in Islam, unlike any other religion, a woman can be
an imam, a leader of communal prayer, for a group of women.
A Muslim woman also
has obligations. All the laws and regulations pertaining to
prayer, fasting, charity, pilgrimage, doing good deeds, etc.,
apply to women, albeit with minor differences having mainly to
do with female physiology.
Before marriage, a
woman has the right to choose her husband. Islamic law is very
strict regarding the necessity of having the woman's consent for
marriage. A marriage dowry is given by the groom to the bride
for her own personal use. She keeps her own family name, rather
than taking her husband's. As a wife, a woman has the right to
be supported by her husband even if she is already rich. She
also has the right to seek divorce and custody of young
children. She does not return the dowry, except in a few unusual
situations.
Despite the fact
that in many places and times Muslim communities have not always
adhered to all or even many of the foregoing in practice, the
ideal has been there for1,400 years, while virtually all other
major civilzations did not begin to address these issues or
change their negative attitudes until the19th and 20th
centuries, and there are still many contemporary civilzations
which have yet to do so.
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