(6) The Simple Life of Muhammad
38
Peninsula was Muslim before he died, and the Muslims were victorious after eighteen years of his mission.
Is it possible that Muhammad r might have claimed
prophethood in order to attain status, greatness, and power? The desire to enjoy status and power is usually associated with good food, fancy clothing, monumental palaces, colorful guards, and indisputable authority. Do any of these indicators apply to Mu- hammad r? A few glimpses of his life that may help answer this question follow.
Despite his responsibilities as a prophet, a teacher, a statesman,
and a judge, Muhammad r used to milk his goat,1 mend his clothes, repair his shoes,2 help with the household work,3 and visit poor people when they got sick.4 He also helped his companions in digging a trench by moving sand with them. 5 His life was an amazing model of simplicity and humbleness.
C h a p t e r 1
Muhammad s r followers loved him, respected him, and
trusted him to an amazing extent. Yet he continued to emphasize that deification should be directed to God and not to him person- ally. Anas, one of Muhammad s r companions, said that there was no person whom they loved more than Muhammad r, yet when he came to them, they did not stand up for him because he hated their standing up for him,6 as other people do with their great people.
S o m e E v i d e n c e f o r t h e T r u t h o f I s l a m
Long before there was any prospect of success for Islam and
at the outset of a long and painful era of torture, suffering, and persecution of Muhammad r and his followers, he received an interesting offer. An envoy of the pagan leaders, Otba, came to him saying: ...If you want money, we will collect enough money for you so that you will be the richest one of us. If you want leadership, we will take you as our leader and never decide on any matter without your approval. If you want a kingdom, we will
(1) Narrated in Mosnad Ahmad, #25662. (2) Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #676, and Mosnad Ahmad, #25517. (3) Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #676, and Mosnad Ahmad, #23706. (4) Narrated in Mowatta Malek, #531. (5) Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #3034, and Saheeh Muslim, #1803,
and Mosnad Ahmad, #18017.
(6) Narrated in Mosnad Ahmad, #12117, and Al-Tirmizi, #2754.
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(6) The Simple Life of Muhammad
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crown you king over us... Only one concession was required from Muhammad r in return for that, to give up calling people to Islam and worshipping God alone without any partner. Wouldn t this offer be tempting to one pursuing worldly benefit? Was Muham- mad r hesitant when the offer was made? Did he turn it down as a bargaining strategy leaving the door open for a better offer? The following was his answer: { In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful } And he recited to Otba the verses of the Qur an 41:1-38.1 The Following are some of these verses:
S o m e E v i d e n c e f o r t h e T r u t h o f I s l a m
( A revelation from (God), the Most Gra- cious, the Most Merciful; a Book whereof the verses are explained in detail; a Qur an in Arabic, for people who know, giving good news and warning, yet most of them turn away, so they do not listen. ) (Qur an, 41:2-4)
C h a p t e r 1
On another occasion and in response to his uncle s plea to stop
calling people to Islam, Muhammad s r answer was as decisive and sincere: { I swear by the name of God, O Uncle!, that if they place the sun in my right-hand and the moon in my left-hand in return for giving up this matter (calling people to Islam), I will never desist until either God makes it triumph or I perish defending it. }2
Muhammad r and his few followers did not only suffer from
persecution for thirteen years but the unbelievers even tried to kill Muhammad r several times. On one occasion they attempted to kill him by dropping a large boulder, which could barely be lifted, on his head.3 Another time they tried to kill him by poisoning his food.4 What could justify such a life of suffering and sacrifice even after he was fully triumphant over his adversaries? What could explain the humbleness and nobility which he demonstrated in his most glorious moments when he insisted that success is due only to God s help and not to his own genius? Are these the characteristics of a power-hungry or a self-centered man?
(1) Al-Serah Al-Nabaweyyah, Ibn Hesham, vol. 1, pp. 293-294. (2) Al-Serah Al-Nabaweyyah, Ibn Hesham, vol. 1, pp. 265-266. (3) Al-Serah Al-Nabaweyyah, Ibn Hesham, vol. 1, pp. 298-299. (4) Narrated in Al-Daremey, #68, and Abu-Dawood, #4510.
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(7) The Phenomenal Growth of Islam
40
(7) The Phenomenal Growth of Islam
At the end of this chapter, it may be appropriate to point out an
important indication of the truth of Islam. It is well known that in the USA and the whole world, Islam is the fastest-growing relig- ion. The following are some observations on this phenomenon:
Islam is the fastest-growing religion in America, a guide and
pillar of stability for many of our people... (Hillary Rodham Clinton, Los Angeles Times).1
Moslems are the world s fastest-growing group... (The
Population Reference Bureau, USA Today).2
....Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the country. (Ger-
aldine Baum; Newsday Religion Writer, Newsday).3
Islam, the fastest-growing religion in the United States...
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(Ari L. Goldman, New York Times).4
This phenomenon indicates that Islam is truly a religion from
God. It is unreasonable to think that so many Americans and peo- ple from different countries have converted to Islam without care- ful consideration and deep contemplation before concluding that Islam is true. These converts have come from different countries, classes, races, and walks of life. They include scientists, profes- sors, philosophers, journalists, politicians, actors, and athletes.
S o m e E v i d e n c e f o r t h e T r u t h o f I s l a m
The points mentioned in this chapter constitute only some of
the evidence supporting the belief that the Qur an is the literal word of God, that Muhammad r is truly a prophet sent by God, and that Islam is truly a religion from God.
###
(1) Larry B. Stammer, Times Religion Writer, First Lady Breaks
Ground With Muslims, Los Angeles Times, Home Edition, Metro Section, Part B, May 31, 1996, p. 3.
(2) Timothy Kenny, Elsewhere in the World, USA Today, Final
Edition, News Section, February 17, 1989, p. 4A.
(3) Geraldine Baum, For Love of Allah, Newsday, Nassau and Suffolk
Edition, Part II, March 7, 1989, p. 4.
(4) Ari L. Goldman, Mainstream Islam Rapidly Embraced By Black
Americans, New York Times, Late City Final Edition, February 21, 1989, p. 1.
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(1) The Door to Eternal Paradise
41
Chapter 2
some benefits of islam
Islam provides many benefits for the individual and the soci-
ety. This chapter mentions some of the benefits gained through Islam for the individual.
(1) The Door to Eternal Paradise
God has said in the Qur an:
( And give good news (O Muhammad) to those who believe and do good deeds, that they will have gardens (Paradise) in which rivers flow.... ) (Qur an, 2:25)
God has also said:
( Race one with another for forgiveness from your Lord and for Paradise, whose width is as the width of the heavens and the earth, which has been prepared for those who be- lieve in God and His messengers.... ) (Qur an, 57:21)
S o m e B e n e f i t s o f I s l a m
C h a p t e r 2
The Prophet Muhammad r told us that the lowest in rank
among the dwellers of Paradise will have ten times the like of this world,1 and he or she will have whatever he or she desires and ten times like it.2 Also, the Prophet Muhammad r said: { A space in Paradise equivalent to the size of a foot would be better than the world and what is in it. }3 He also said: { In Paradise there are things which no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no huma n mind has thought of. }4 He also said: { The most miserable man in the world of those meant for Paradise will
(1) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #186, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #6571. (2) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #188, and Mosnad Ahmad, #10832. (3) Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #6568, and Mosnad Ahmad, #13368. (4) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2825, and Mosnad Ahmad, #8609.
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(2) Salvation from Hellfire
42
be dipped once in Paradise. Then he will be asked: Son of Adam, did you ever face any misery? Did you ever experience any hardship? So he will say: No, by God, O Lord! I never faced any misery, and I never experienced any hardship. }1
If you enter Paradise, you will live a very happy life without
sickness, pain, sadness, or death; God will be pleased with you; and you will live there forever. God has said in the Qur an:
( But those who believe and do good deeds, We will admit them to gardens (Paradise) in which rivers flow, lasting in them forever.... )
(Qur an, 4:57)
(Please visit www.islam-guide.com/hereafter for more in-
formation on Paradise or the life after death.)
(2) Salvation from Hellfire
God has said in the Qur an:
( Those who have disbelieved and died in disbelief, the earth full of gold would not be accepted from any of them if one offered it as a ransom. They will have a painful punish- ment, and they will have no helpers. )
(Qur an, 3:91)
C h a p t e r 2
So, this life is our only chance to win Paradise and to escape
from Hellfire, because if someone dies in disbelief, he will not have another chance to come back to this world to believe. As God has said in the Qur an about what is going to happen for the unbelievers on the Day of Judgment:
S o m e B e n e f i t s o f I s l a m
( If you could but see when they are set before the Fire (Hell) and say: Would that we might return (to the world)! Then we would not reject the verses of our Lord, but we would be of the believers! ) (Qur an, 6:27)
But no one will have this second opportunity.
(1) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2807, and Mosnad Ahmad, #12699.
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(3) Real Happiness and Inner Peace
43
The Prophet Muhammad r said: { The happiest man in the
world of those doomed to the Fire (Hell) on the Day of Judg- ment will be dipped in the Fire once. Then he will be asked: Son of Adam, did you ever see any good? Did you ever expe- rience any blessing? So he will say: No, by God, O Lord! }1
(3) Real Happiness and Inner Peace
Real happiness and peace can be
found in submitting to the commands of the Creator and the Sustainer of this world. God has said in the Qur an:
( Truly, in remembering God do hearts find rest. )
(Qur an, 13:28)
On the other hand, the one who
turns away from the Qur an will have a life of hardship in this world. God has said:
S o m e B e n e f i t s o f I s l a m
( But whoever turns away from the Qur an,2
C h a p t e r 2
he will have a hard life, and We will raise him up blind on the Day of Judgment. ) (Qur an, 20:124)
This may explain why some people commit suicide while they
enjoy the material comfort money can buy. For example, look at Cat Stevens (now Yusuf Islam), formerly a famous pop singer who used to earn sometimes more than $150,000 a night. After he converted to Islam, he found true happiness and peace, which he had not found in material success.3
(1) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2807, and Mosnad Ahmad, #12699. (2) i.e. neither believes in the Qur an nor acts on its orders. (3) The present mailing address of Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam), in case
you would like to ask him about his feelings after he converted to Islam, is: 2 Digswell Street, London N7 8JX, United Kingdom.
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(4) Forgiveness for All Previous Sins
44
To read the stories of people who have converted to Islam,
please visit www.islam-guide.com/stories or refer to the book entitled Why Islam is Our Only Choice.1 At this web page and in this book, you can read the thoughts and feelings of these people, who are from different countries and have different backgrounds and levels of education.
(4) Forgiveness for All Previous Sins
When someone converts to Islam, God forgives all of his
previous sins and evil deeds. A man called Amr came to the Prophet Muhammad r and said: Give me your right hand so that I may give you my pledge of loyalty. The Prophet r
stretched out his right hand. Amr withdrew his hand. The Prophet r said: { What has happened to you, O Amr? } He replied: I intend to lay down a condition. The Prophet r
asked: { What condition do you intend to put forward? } Amr said: That God forgive my sins. The Prophet r said: { Didn t you know that converting to Islam erases all previous sins? }2
After converting to Islam, the person will be rewarded for his
or her good and bad deeds according to the following saying of the Prophet Muhammad r: { Your Lord, Who is blessed and ex- alted, is most merciful. If someone intends to do a good deed but does not do it, a good deed will be recorded for him. And if he does do it, (a reward of) ten to seven hundred or many more times (the reward of the good deed), will be recorded for him. And if someone intends to do a bad deed but does not do it, a good deed will be recorded for him. And if he does do it, a bad deed will be recorded against him or God will wipe it out. }3
C h a p t e r 2
S o m e B e n e f i t s o f I s l a m
###
(1) This book is by Muhammad H. Shahid. For a copy of this book,
please visit www.islam-guide.com/stories or contact one of the organizations listed on pages 69-70.
(2) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #121, and Mosnad Ahmad, #17357. (3) Narrated in Mosnad Ahmad, #2515, and Saheeh Muslim, #131.
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What Is Islam? Some Basic Islamic Beliefs
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Chapter 3
general information
on islam
What Is Islam?
The religion of Islam is the acceptance of and obedience to
the teachings of God which He revealed to His last prophet, Muhammad r.
Some Basic Islamic Beliefs
1) Belief in God:
Muslims believe in one, unique, incomparable God, Who has
no son nor partner, and that none has the right to be worshipped but Him alone. He is the true God, and every other deity is false. He has the most magnificent names and sublime perfect attributes. No one shares His divinity, nor His attributes. In the Qur an, God describes Himself:
( Say: He is God, the One. God, to Whom the creatures turn for their needs. He begets not, nor was He begotten, and there is none like Him. )
G e n e r a l I n f o r m a t i o n o n I s l a m
(Qur an, 112:1-4)
No one has the right to
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be invoked, supplicated, prayed to, or shown any act of worship, but God alone.
Chapter 112 of the Qur an written in Arabic calligraphy.
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Some Basic Islamic Beliefs
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God alone is the Almighty, the Creator, the Sovereign, and the
Sustainer of everything in the whole universe. He manages all affairs. He stands in need of none of His creatures, and all His creatures depend on Him for all that they need. He is the All-Hear- ing, the All-Seeing, and the All-Knowing. In a perfect manner, His knowledge encompasses all things, the open and the secret, and the public and the private. He knows what has happened, what will happen, and how it will happen. No affair occurs in the whole world except by His will. Whatever He wills is, and whatever He does not will is not and will never be. His will is above the will of all the creatures. He has power over all things, and He is able to do everything. He is the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, and the Most Beneficent. In one of the sayings of the Prophet Muham- mad r, we are told that God is more merciful to His creatures than a mother to her child.1 God is far removed from injustice and tyranny. He is All-Wise in all of His actions and decrees. If someone wants something from God, he or she can ask God directly without asking anyone else to intercede with God for him or her.
God is not Jesus, and Jesus is not God.2 Even Jesus himself
rejected this. God has said in the Qur an:
( Indeed, they have disbelieved who have said: God is the Messiah (Jesus), son of Mary. The Messiah said: Children of Is- rael, worship God, my Lord and your Lord. Whoever associates partners in worship with God, then God has forbidden Paradise for him, and his home is the Fire (Hell). For the
(1) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2754, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #5999. (2) It was reported by the Associated Press, London, on June 25, 1984,
that a majority of the Anglican bishops surveyed by a television program said: Christians are not obliged to believe that Jesus Christ was God. The poll was of 31 of England s 39 bishops. The report further stated that 19 of the 31 bishops said it was sufficient to regard Jesus as God s supreme agent. The poll was conducted by London Weekend Television s weekly religious program, Credo.
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Some Basic Islamic Beliefs
47
wrongdoers,1 there will be no helpers. )
(Qur an, 5:72)
God is not a trinity. God has said in the Qur an:
( Indeed, they disbelieve who say: God is the third of three (in a trinity), when there is no god but one God. If they desist not from what they say, truly, a painful punishment will befall the disbelievers among them. Would they not rather repent to God and ask His forgiveness? For God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. The Messiah (Jesus), son of Mary, was no more than a messenger... ) (Qur an, 5:73-75)
Islam rejects that God rested on the seventh day of the creation,
that He wrestled with one of His angels, that He is an envious plotter against mankind, or that He is incarnate in any human being. Islam also rejects the attribution of any human form to God. All of these are considered blasphemous. God is the Exalted. He is far removed from every imp erfection. He never becomes weary. He does not become drowsy nor does he sleep.
The Arabic word Allah means God (the one and only true God
who created the whole universe). This word Allah is a name for God, which is used by Arabic speakers, both Arab Muslims and Arab Christians. This word cannot be used to designate anything other than the one true God. The Arabic word Allah occurs in the Qur an more than 2150 times. In Aramaic, a language related closely to Arabic and the language that Jesus habitually spoke,2
God is also referred to as Allah.
2) Belief in the Angels:
G e n e r a l I n f o r m a t i o n o n I s l a m
Muslims believe in the existence of the angels and that they
are honored creatures. The angels worship God alone, obey Him, and act only by His command. Among the angels is Gabriel, who brought down the Qur an to Muhammad r.
C h a p t e r 3
(1) The wrongdoers include the polytheists. (2) NIV Compact Dictionary of the Bible, Douglas, p. 42.
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Some Basic Islamic Beliefs
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3) Belief in God s Revealed Books:
Muslims believe that God revealed books to His messengers
as proof for mankind and as guidance for them. Among these books is the Qur an, which God revealed to the Prophet Muham- mad r. God has guaranteed the Qur an s protection from any corruption or distortion. God has said:
( Indeed, We have sent down the Qur an, and surely We will guard it (from corruption). )
(Qur an, 15:9)
4) Belief in the Prophets and Messengers of God:
Muslims believe in the prophets and messengers of God,
starting with Adam, including Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Jesus (peace be upon them). But God s final message to man, a reconfirmation of the eternal message, was revealed to the Prop het Muhammad r. Muslims believe that Muhammad r is the last prophet sent by God, as God has said:
( Muhammad is not the father of any one of your men, but he is the Messenger of God and the last of the prophets... ) (Qur an, 33:40 )
Muslims believe that all the prophets and messengers were
created human beings who had none of the divine qualities of God.
5) Belief in the Day of Judgment:
Muslims believe in the Day of Judgment (the Day of Resur-
rection) when all people will be resurrected for God s judgment according to their beliefs and deeds.
6) Belief in Al-Qadar:
Muslims believe in Al-Qadar, which is Divine Predestination,
but this belief in Divine Predestination does not mean that human beings do not have freewill. Rather, Muslims believe that God has given human beings freewill. This means that they can choose right or wrong and that they are responsible for their choices.
The belief in Divine Predestination includes belief in four
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things: 1) God knows everything. He knows what has happened
G e n e r a l I n f o r m a t i o n o n I s l a m
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Is There Any Sacred Source Other than the Qur an? Examples of the Prophet Muhammad s Sayings
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and what will happen. 2) God has recorded all that has happened and all that will happen. 3) Whatever God wills to happen hap- pens, and whatever He wills not to happen does not happen. 4) God is the Creator of everything.
(Please visit www.islam-guide.com/beliefs for more infor-
mation on basic Islamic beliefs.)
Is There Any Sacred Source
Other than the Qur an?
Yes. The sunnah (what the Prophet Muhammad r said, did,
or approved of) is the second source in Islam. The sunnah is comprised of hadeeths, which are reliably transmitted reports by the Prophet Muhammad s r companions of what he said, did, or approved of. Belief in the sunnah is a basic Islamic belief.
Examples of the Prophet Muhammad s r Sayings
{ The believers, in their love, mercy, and kindness to one
another are like a body: if any part of it is ill, the whole body shares its sleeplessness and fever. }1
{ The most perfect of the believers in faith are the best of
them in morals. And the best among them are those who are best to their wives. }2
{ None of you believes (completely) until he loves for his
brother what he loves for himself. }3
{ The merciful are shown mercy by the All-Merciful.
Show mercy to those on earth, and God will show mercy to you. }4
{ Smiling at your brother is charity... }5
G e n e r a l I n f o r m a t i o n o n I s l a m
{ A good word is charity. }6
(1) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2586, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #6011. (2) Narrated in Mosnad Ahmad, #7354, and Al-Tirmizi, #1162. (3) Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #13, and Saheeh Muslim, #45. (4) Narrated in Al-Tirmizi, #1924, and Abu-Dawood, #4941. (5) Narrated in Al-Tirmizi, #1956. (6) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #1009, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #2989.
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What Does Islam Say about the Day of Judgment?
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{ Whoever believes in God and the Last Day (the Day of
Judgment) should do good to his neighbor. }1
{ God does not judg e you according to your appearance
and your wealth, but He looks at your hearts and looks into your deeds. }2
{ Pay the worker his wage before his sweat dries. }3
{ A man walking along a path felt very thirsty. Reaching
a well, he descended into it, drank his fill, and came up. Then he saw a dog with its tongue hanging out, trying to lick up mud to quench its thirst. The man said: This dog is feeling the same thirst that I felt. So he went down into the well again, filled his shoe with water, and gave the dog a drink. So, God thanked him and forgave his sins. } The Prophet r was asked: Messenger of God, are we re- warded for kindness towards animals? He said: { There is a reward for kindness to every living animal or human. }4
What Does Islam Say about
the Day of Judgment?
Like Christians, Muslims believe that the present life is only
a trial preparation for the next realm of existence. This life is a test for each individual for the life after death. A day will come when the whole universe will be destroyed and the dead will be resur- rected for judgment by God. This day will be the beginning of a life that will never end. This day is the Day of Judgment. On that day, all people will be rewarded by God according to their beliefs and deeds. Those who die while believing that There is no true god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger (Prophet) of God and are Muslim will be rewarded on that day and will be admitted to Paradise forever, as God has said:
(1) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #48, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #6019. (2) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2564. (3) Narrated in Ibn Majah, #2443. (4) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2244, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #2466.
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( And those who believe and do good deeds, they are dwellers of Paradise, they dwell therein forever. ) (Qur an, 2:82)
But those who die while not believing that There is no true
god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger (Prophet) of God or are not Muslim will lose Paradise forever and will be sent to Hellfire, as God has said:
( And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will not be accepted from him and he will be one of the losers in the Hereafter. )
(Qur an, 3:85)
And as He has said:
( Those who have disbelieved and died in disbelief, the earth full of gold would not be accepted from any of them if it were offered as a ransom. They will have a painful pun- ishment, and they will have no helpers. )
(Qur an, 3:91)
One may ask, I think Islam is a good religion, but if I were to
convert to Islam, my family, friends, and other people would persecute me and make fun of me. So if I don t convert to Islam, will I enter Paradise and be saved from Hellfire?
The answer is what God has said in the preceding verse: And
whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will not be accepted from him and he will be one of the losers in the Hereafter.
G e n e r a l I n f o r m a t i o n o n I s l a m
After having sent the Prophet Muhammad r to call people to
Islam, God does not accept adherence to any religion other than Islam. God is our Creator and Sustainer. He created for us whatever is in the earth. All the blessings and good things we have are from Him. So after all this, when someone rejects belief in God, His Prophet Muhammad r, or His religion of Islam, it is just that he or she be punished in the Hereafter. Actually, the main
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How Does Someone Become a Muslim?
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purpose of our creation is to worship God alone and to obey Him, as God has said in the Holy Qur an (51:56).
This life we live today is a very short life. The unbelievers on
the Day of Judgment will think that the life they lived on earth was only a day or part of a day, as God has said:
( He (God) will say: How many years did you stay on the earth? They will say: We stayed a day or part of a day.... ) (Qur an, 23:112-113)
And He has said:
( Did you then think that We had created you in jest (without any purpose), and that you would not be returned to Us (in the Hereaf- ter)? So, God is exalted, the True King. None has the right to be worshipped but Him... )
(Qur an, 23:115-116)
The life in the Hereafter is a real life. It is not only spiritual,
but physical as well. We will live there with our souls and bodies. In comparing this world with the Hereafter, Muhammad r said:
{ The value of this world compared to that of the Hereafter is like what your finger brings from the sea when you put it in and then take it out. }1 That is, the value of this world compared to that of the Hereafter is like a few drops of water compared to the sea.
How Does Someone Become a Muslim?
Simply by saying with conviction, La ilaha illa Allah,
Muhammadur rasoolu Allah, one converts to Islam and becomes a Muslim. This saying means There is no true god but God (Allah),2 and Muhammad is the Messenger (Prophet) of God.
(1) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2858, and Mosnad Ahmad, #17560. (2) As was mentioned on page 47, the Arabic word Allah means God
(the one and only true God who created the whole universe). This word Allah is a name for God, which is used by Arabic speakers, both Arab Muslims and Arab Christians. For more details on the word Allah, see the next to last paragraph of page 47.
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How Does Someone Become a Muslim?
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The first part, There is no true god but God, means that none has the right to be worshipped but God alone, and that God has neither partner nor son. To be a Muslim, one should also:
Believe that the Holy Qur an is the literal word of God,
revealed by Him.
Believe that the Day of Judgment (the Day of Resurrection)
is true and will come, as God promised in the Qur an.
Accept Islam as his or her religion.
Not worship anything nor anyone except God.
The Prophet Muhammad r said: { God is more joyful at the
repentance of someone when he turns to Him in repentance than one of you would be if he were riding his camel in the wilderness, and it runs away from him, carrying his food and drink, so that he loses all hope of getting it back. He comes to a tree and lies down in its shade (awaiting death), for he has lost all hope of finding his camel. Then, while he is in that state (of desperation), suddenly it is there before him! So he seizes its halter and cries out from the depth of his joy: O God, You are my servant and I am Your Lord! His mistake comes from the intensity of his joy. }1
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The saying, There is no true god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger (Prophet) of God, inscribed over an entrance.
(1) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2747, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #6309.
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What Is the Qur an About?
The Qur an, the last revealed word of God, is the primary
source of every Muslim s faith and practice. It deals with all the sub- jects which concern human be- ings: wisdom, doctrine, wor- ship, transactions, law, etc., but its basic theme is the rela- tionship between God and His creatures. At the same time, it provides guidelines and detailed teachings for a just society, proper human conduct, and an equitable economic system.
Note that the Qur an was revealed to Muhammad r in Arabic
only. So, any Qur anic translation, either in English or any other language, is neither a Qur an, nor a version of the Qur an, but rather it is only a translation of the meaning of the Qur an. The Qur an exists only in the Arabic in which it was revealed.
Who Is the Prophet Muhammad r?
Muhammad r was born in Makkah in the year 570. Since his
father died before his birth and his mother died shortly thereafter, he was raised by his uncle who was from the respected tribe of Quraysh. He was raised illiterate, unable to read or write, and remained so till his death. His people, before his mission as a prophet, were ignorant of science and most of them were illiterate. As he grew up, he became known to be truthful, honest, trustwor- thy, generous, and sincere. He was so trustworthy that they called him the Trustworthy.1 Muhammad r was very religious, and he had long detested the decadence and idolatry of his society.
At the age of forty, Muhammad r received his first revelation
from God through the Angel Gabriel. The revelations continued for twenty-three years, and they are collectively known as the Qur an.
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(1) Narrated in Mosnad Ahmad, #15078.
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The Prophet Muhammad s r Mosque in Madinah.
As soon as he began to recite the Qur an and to preach the truth
which God had revealed to him, he and his small group of followers suffered persecution from unbelievers. The persecution grew so fierce that in the year 622 God gave them the command to emigrate. This emigration from Makkah to the city of Madinah, some 260 miles to the north, marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar.
After several years, Muhammad r and his followers were able
to return to Makkah, where they forgave their enemies. Before Muhammad r died, at the age of sixty-three, the greater part of the Arabian Peninsula had become Muslim, and within a century of his death, Islam had spread to Spain in the West and as far East as China. Among the reasons for the rapid and peaceful spread of Islam was the truth and clarity of its doctrine. Islam calls for faith in only one God, Who is the only one worthy of worship.
The Proph et Muhammad r was a perfect example of an
honest, just, merciful, compassionate, truthful, and brave human being. Though he was a man, he was far removed from all evil characteristics and strove solely for the sake of God and His reward in the Hereafter. Moreover, in all his actions and dealings, he was ever mindful and fearful of God.
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(Please visit www.islam-guide.com/muhammad for more
information on the Prophet Muhammad r.)
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How Did the Spread of Islam
Affect the Development of Science?
Islam instructs man to use his
powers of intelligence and observa- tion. Within a few years of the spread of Islam, great civilizations and universities were flourishing. The synthesis of Eastern and Western ideas, and of new thought with old, brought about great advances in medi- cine, mathematics, phys- ics, astronomy, geogra- phy, architecture, art, lit- erature, and history. Many crucial systems, such as algebra, the Ara- bic numerals, and the con- cept of zero (vital to the advancement of
The astrolabe:
One of the most important scien- tific instruments developed by Muslims which was also used widely in the West until modern times.
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Muslim physicians paid much attention to surgery and developed many surgical instruments as seen in this old manuscript.
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mathematics), were transmitted to medieval Europe from the Mus- lim world. Sophisticated instruments which were to make possible the European voyages of discovery, such as the astrolabe, the quadrant, and good navigational maps, were also developed by Muslims.
What Do Muslims Believe about Jesus?
Muslims respect and revere Jesus (peace be upon him). They
consider him one of the greatest of God s messengers to mankind. The Qur an confirms his virgin birth, and a chapter of the Qur an is entitled Maryam (Mary). The Qur an describes the birth of Jesus as follows:
( (Remember) when the angels said: O Mary, God gives you good news of a word from Him (God), whose name is the Messiah Jesus, son of Mary, revered in this world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near (to God). He will speak to the people from his cradle and as a man, and he is of the right- eous. She said: My Lord, how can I have a child when no mortal has touched me? He said: So (it will be). God creates what He wills. If He decrees a thing, He says to it only, Be! and it is. ) (Qur an, 3:45-47)
Jesus was born miraculously by the command of God which
had brought Adam into being without a father. God has said:
( The case of Jesus with God is like the case of Adam. He created him from dust, and then He said to him, Be! and he came into be- ing. ) (Qur an, 3:59)
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During his prophetic mission, Jesus performed many miracles.
God tells us that Jesus said:
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( I have come to you with a sign from your Lord. I make for you the shape of a bird out of clay, I breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by God s permission. I heal the blind from birth and the leper. And I bring the dead to life by God s permission. And I tell you what you eat and what you store in your houses.... ) (Qur an, 3:49)
Muslims believe that Jesus was not crucified. It was the plan
of Jesus enemies to crucify him, but God saved him and raised him up to Him. And the likeness of Jesus was put over another man. Jesus enemies took this man and crucified him, thinking that he was Jesus. God has said:
( ...They said: We killed the Messiah Jesus, son of Mary, the messenger of God. They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but the likeness of him was put on another man (and they killed that man)... ) (Qur an, 4:157)
Neither Muhammad r nor Jesus came to change the basic
doctrine of the belief in one God, brought by earlier prophets, but
The Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
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rather to confirm and renew it.1
(Please visit www.islam-guide.com/jesus for more informa-
tion on Jesus in Islam.)
What Does Islam Say about Terrorism?
Islam, a religion of mercy, does not permit terrorism. In the
Qur an, God has said:
( God does not forbid you from showing kindness and dealing justly with those who have not fought you about religion and have not driven you out of your homes. God loves just dealers. ) (Qur an, 60:8)
The Prophet Muhammad r used to prohibit soldiers from
killing women and children,2 and he would advise them: { ...Do not betray, do not be excessive, do not kill a newborn child. }3
(1) Muslims also believe that God revealed a holy book to Jesus called
the Injeel, some parts of which may be still available in the teachings of God to Jesus in the New Testament. But this does not mean that Muslims believe in the Bible we have today because it is not the original scriptures that were revealed by God. They underwent alterations, additions, and omissions. This was also said by the Committee charged with revising The Holy Bible (Revised Standard Version). This Committee consisted of thirty-two scholars who served as members of the Committee. They secured the review and counsel of an Advisory Board of fifty representatives of the co-operating denominations. The Committee said in the Preface to
The Holy Bible (Revised Standard Version), p. iv: Sometimes it is evident that the text has suffered in transmission, but none of the versions provides a satisfactory restoration. Here we can only follow the best judgment of competent scholars as to the most probable reconstruction of the original text. The Committee also said in the Preface, p. vii: Notes are added which indicate significant variations, additions, or omissions in the ancient authorities (Mt 9.34; Mk 3.16; 7.4; Lk 24.32, 51, etc.). For more information on the altering of the Bible, please visit www.islam-guide.com/bible
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(2) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #1744, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #3015. (3) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #1731, and Al-Tirmizi, #1408.
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And he also said: { Whoever has killed a person having a treaty with the Muslims shall not smell the fragrance of Paradise, though its fragrance is found for a span of forty years. }1
Also, the Prophet Mu
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