Islamic Society and Human Relationships
Question
117: Why
do Muslim countries apply Islamic law upon non-Muslims when problems
arise in Islamic society?
Answer
117: Islam does not
enjoin the People of the Scripture to use or follow the divine creed
of Islam. The method of Islam is as follows: if they resorted to
Islamic methodology for arbitration, then the Islamic rule should be
applied in this case, almighty God says:
“So
if they come to you (O Muhammad), either judge between them, or turn
away from them. If your turn away from them, they cannot hurt you in
the least. And if you judge, judge with justice between them.
Verily, God loves those who act justly” (Holy Qur’an: 5: 42)
In
any other likely case, they could at any time follow their creeds, so
long as these creeds have a heavenly origin. Also, God says: “But
how do they come to you for decision while they have the Torah, in
which is the (plain) Decision of God; yet even after that, they turn
away. For they are not (really) believers” (Holy Qur’an: 5: 43).
This has already been mentioned in the matters related to creeds and
familial dealings and in case they are citizens in the Islamic
countries.
As
regards civil and financial cases, all people living in Muslim
countries must commit themselves to observe the Islamic rules, as
these rule serve the opinion of the majority of the citizens. This
criteria, the rule of the majority, is applied everywhere in the
world, especially in the west. In the various dealings of the common
affairs (like traffic, health, education), Muslims themselves almost
always refer to civil laws. This also includes many other matters,
which have nothing to do with dogma, liberty of belief, familial
relationships (like marriage and other things so that they cannot
collide with the religion of the Islamic society). As it is decided,
contract is the law of the contractors; and anybody coming into the
Islamic country will beforehand sign his commitment to the divine
laws and manners; consequently, accept the rules of Islam to be
applied, if required. This is one form of proving sovereignty to the
state, something which is applicable almost everywhere in the world.
Constitutions of almost all world countries decree that in the likely
case any crime takes place on the land or within the territorial
boundaries of any country, then the law and rules of that particular
countries are the ones to be applied, without discriminating between
the nationalities of the people involved in the crime.
Question
118: Since
it is claimed that Islam has undertaken the question of liberating
slaves and bondwomen, why do Muslims make of men slaves and women
bondwomen when they go to wars? Does not that signify a
contradiction in Islamic principles?
Answer
118: It is a fact
that Islam has called for the liberation of slaves. There are many
proofs to attest for this:
1.
Liberating a slave is a kind of atonement for some sins, like
indeliberate murder, and dhihar
(divorce), oath breaking, corruption of one’s fast in Ramadhan by
sexual intercourse and so on.
2. God promised a great reward
for those who voluntary liberate any of their slaves.
3. The right of the slave to
liberate himself by buying himself from his master;
4.
A Muslim is encouraged to pay a portion of his zakat
money to those slaves willing to purchase themselves from their
masters;
5. The Islamic rule of what is
called “arrangement,” which incurs the liberation of the slave
upon the death of his master, especially if the master does not have
the desire to liberate him during his lifetime. So the choice of
freeing oneself is open after the death of the master. The master
may say to his slave: “You are be free after my death,” whereupon
the slave becomes free immediately after the death of the master.
6. The Islamic rule regarding
the women slaves in case they become mother of children to their
master upon a sexual intercourse they might have with them. If the
bondwoman conceives in this case, she may neither be sold nor rented;
soon after her master’s death, she becomes free.
When
a war takes place between Muslims and others, and Muslims come out
victorious, if an agreement takes place between the Muslims and their
enemies regarding the captives, the Muslims are bound to keep their
word according to what they have pledged. If there is no such
agreement or reconciliation, then Muslims are free to opt for one of
the following choices:
1. Ransoming their captives
with captives from the enemies, or money is given instead.
2. Setting the captives free
against nothing, out of kindness and charity.
3. Killing them to relieve
mankind from their evil, and killing only the fighters from them.
4. Enslaving them as a kind of
charity so that they could know Islam closely with the hope that they
might become Muslims themselves. It is in the right of Islam to kill
those who stood in the face of Islam as fighters, but in most cases
they are kept alive and enslaved. This is some kind of showing the
power of Islam and the humiliation of its enemies. The caliph is the
only one who could command enslaving up, it is not left to
individuals.
Question
119: Why,
upon the birth of a baby, Muslims slaughter one sheep for the girl
but two for the boy?
Answer
119: Following the
tradition of prophet Muhammad (pbuh) Muslims slaughter one sheep for
the newly-born girl but two for the newly-born boy. The rationale
behind the difference could be to stress the fact that there are
differences between man and woman in terms of physical capability and
the right of guardianship and responsibility. Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) said: “The baby-boy is ransomed by his slaughtered animal.”
Since man fights in the path of God and carries the burden of
struggle and earning living, he is more exposed to dangers and
accidents than woman. Therefore, he is more required to be ransomed
with two slaughtered animals for the protection of his body and
optimism for his safety.
Question
120: Is
it lawful for a non-Muslim to enter the Holy Mosque in Mecca? If not,
why?
Answer
120: It is not
lawful for a non-Muslim to enter the Holy Mosque in Mecca in
accordance with what almighty God has said: “Verily, the mushrikun
(polytheists, pagans, idolatries, disbeliveers in the Oneness of God,
and in the Message of Muhammad) are Najasun (impure). So let them not
come near al-Masjidal-Haram
(at Mecca) after this year” (Holy Qur’an: 9: 28). As to other
mosques, the reason for a non-Muslim entering a mosque should be
taken into account before admitting him/her to do so. If it is for
the sake of learning about Islam or for any other reason which meets
the needs of Muslims, then it is lawful for non-Muslims to enter the
mosque. Entering mosques for touristic or sightseeing purposes is
not lawful.
Question
121: According
to the Qura’nic verse “So if you gain the mastery over them in
war, punish them severely in order to disperse those who are behind
them” (Holy Qur’an: 8: 57), we believe that Islam spread by the
sword. What is your explanation regarding this?
Answer
121: Islam did not
spread by sword, and had it spread by sword or by force, people would
have apostatized at the first chance they had, but the situation is
just the opposite. Once those people embraced Islam, they turned
into proselytize Islam in terms of tongue, money and sword. Holy
fight in Islam is meant for overcoming the barriers before the call
for Islam to people. If it had been possible to call to Islam without
facing barriers or objection by force, Muslims would not have used
arms or force on the one hand. On the other hand, many countries,
especially in South East Asia and the biggest part of Africa and
those who embrace Islam in Europe today, the spread of Islam was in
those countries by peaceful call, respectable Islamic dealing of
Muslim traders, and Islamic missions in those countries. The west
used its colonial influence, societies, preaching missions sometimes
in the name of medical AIDS
and, sometimes in the name of schools and education. It used those
means to spread Christianity; hence, the intention was not completely
pure or for purely humanitarian reasons. It was for the sake of
exploiting those peoples and reverting them off their various creeds.
Through its stooges, the west executed all of its terrorist and
aggressive plans. The Christian west wanted to establish secular
governments, which had nothing to do with religions, on the basis
that those governments had nothing to do with Islam, which was
considered by the west as archenemy without justifications.
Question
122: Tobacco
did not exist at the time of prophet Muhammad, yet it is considered
by many scholars today as unlawful. Why?
Answer
122: Some prohibits
have been rendered unlawful by Qur’anc texts, things like wine,
eating flesh of dead meat, and pig’s meat. Some other prohibits
were declared as unlawful because they were included in a total
divine rule, or a general principle rule, things like impurities, and
all that is harmful to the body or in wasting money uselessly. All
of these things have their right divine evidence. The prophet
related: “No harm should be done to oneself or to others.” 1
This saying involves all kinds of harm one might cause to oneself,
his money, or to others. It has been proved that smoking is harmful
to the body. Islamic beliefs render everything good as lawful and
everything bad as unlawful.
If
we examine all prohibits, we find that they lead to harm to others
because of what they cause. The creed produced general rules
according to which things are considered throughout history and
place. Analogical deduction In Islam is one of the sources of
legislation after the Noble Qur’an, prophetic tradition, and
consensus of the companions of the prophet, which is one of the forms
of the recognized independent reasoning, and approved by Muslims
scholars, which is itself the secret of the survival of Islam, as it
meets the renewed needs of Islam and judges their new acts of
conduct. To this end, the scholars rendered smoking as unlawful on
the basis that it is harmful to the health of the smoker, and a waste
for his/her money. Smoking is closer to the group of impurities than
to that of purifies. Almighty God said:
“he
commands them for al-ma`rouf
(i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam has ordained); and
forbids them from al-munkar
(i.e. disbelief, polytheism of all kinds, and all that Islam has
forbidden); he allows them as lawful at-tayyibat (i.e. all good and
lawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, person, foods), and
prohibits them as unlawful al-khab`ith (i.e. all evil and unlawful as
regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons and foods), he releases them
from their heavy burdens (of God’s Covenant with the children of
Israel), and from the fetters (bonding) that were upon them” (Holy
Qur’an: 7: 157).
Question
123: Almost
all banks do not observe the religious teachings and they deal with
interest. But dealing with the bank has almost become a necessity.
What harm is there if one deposit his/her money in a bank, with and
without interests?
Answer
123: Putting money
in interest banks is lawful because of necessity, and necessity is
estimated according to its real situation. Accordingly, putting
money in interest banks in a country which has monetary institutions,
like Islamic banks and its subsidiaries, not dealing in interest is
unlawful. Putting one’s money in a bank is originally unlawful if
one is not worried about the safety of his money from theft or
robbery. If one feels unsafe about the money, there is no objection
to putting it in an interest bank, because of the jurisprudential
rule which says: “Necessities render prohibits as lawful.”
Anyone
who puts his money in an account because he is obliged to keep it
safe, can take interest on it, which is better than leaving it to the
banks dealing with interest, but he cannot spend the money in the way
he wants, as he does with his lawful money. He can give it to the
poor and needy people, as they are the only people who could use the
money. Any kind of money whose owner is unknown has the reward of
delivering it to the poor and needy, but does not have the reward of
alms, as alms is given from his completely lawful money.
If
the Muslim is obliged to put his money in an interest bank without
taking the interest it is lawful too, and once he is able to do
without dealing with that bank, he has to withdraw his money.
Question
124: In
Islam there is a saying, which goes like this: “Wisdom is supposed
to be the goal of every Muslim, he/she should seek it wherever it
is.” Can a Muslim in this case follow and/or adopt good western
principles a lifestyle?
Answer
124: Muslins are
always encouraged to follow what is good and avoid what is bad.
However,
when it comes to creed, worship, manners and many things, which have
to do with personal dealings, Islam recommended everything good and
prohibited everything evil. Almighty God said:
“Verily,
God enjoins al-adl
(i.e. justice and worshipping none but God Alone–Islamic
monotheism) and al-ihsan
[i.e. to be patient in performing your duties to God, totally for
God’s sake and in accordance with the sunah
(legal ways) of the Prophet (pbuh) in a perfect manner], and giving
(help) to kith and kin (i.e. all that God has ordered you to give
them e.g., wealth, visiting, looking after them, or any other kind of
help, and forbids al-fahisha
(i.e. all evil deeds, e.g. illegal sexual acts, disobedience of
parents, polytheism, to tell lies, to give false witness, to kill a
life without right), and al-munkar
(i.e. all that is prohibited by Islamic law: polytheism of every
kind, disbelief and every kind of evil deeds), and al-baghy
(i.e. all kinds of oppressions). He admonishes you, that you may
take heed.” (Holy Qur’an: 16: 90)
Islam
urges Muslims to learn useful sciences and advanced system especially
in the domain of technology experimental sciences, and the like.
Accordingly, there is no harm for a Muslim to benefit from what the
west has used to advance itself, if what is used does not contradict
the fixed and determined Islamic fundamentals, which are known as
being good and useful to mankind.
There
is, however, one thing that should be taken into consideration, i.e.
some things might be useful temporarily and accidentally. Such
things cannot be rendered as lawful though they might be useful
temporarily from one point of view. They could be subject to the
conventions, customs and tastes of some people. All of this cannot
render something lawful, as everything of those principles;
conventions and customs should go with the Islamic fundamentals, and
people should not differ as to whether people believe it is useful or
beneficial. Almighty God said:
“And no example or similitude
do they bring (to oppose or to find fault in you or in this Qur’an),
but We reveal to you the truth (against that similitude or example),
and the better explanation thereof” (Holy Qur’an: 25: 33)
Question
125: What
is the purpose of prohibiting usury when both partners (the usurer
and the one paying interest) are completely satisfied with the
transaction?
Answer
125: The
satisfaction of both contractors does not render prohibited things
lawful, as two adulterer and an adulteress accept to commit adultery,
and the agreement of buyer and seller of drugs does not make such
matters lawful.
Those
who consider matters from a limited point of view want a quick or
private benefit, regardless of what disasters of destruction and
corruption of the Islamic nation such transactions may cause.
Anyone, whether it is a person or a country, who resort to borrow
money with interest must be in dire need for that money. What kind
of humanity is this that exploits the need and adversity of that man
or nation?
When
the interest loan is intended for production, and the borrower loses,
he shoulders the responsibility and is the only loser, which could be
disastrous to him. Had he been able to support himself he would not
have resorted to borrowing an interest loan. The two partners should
agree from the beginning on both profit and loss. If they make a
profit, the profit is mutual and the same applies to loss. The one
working will have lost his efforts and time and the lender will lose
his money. Almighty God announced war on the borrower and lender
dealing with interest. Almighty God says:
“And
if you do not do it, then take a notice of war from God and His
Messenger but if your repent, you shall have your capital sums. Deal
not unjustly (by asking more than your capital sums), and you shall
not be dealt with unjustly (by receiving less than your capital
sums). And if the debtor is in a hard time (has no money), then grant
him time till is easy for him to replay…” (Holy Qur’an: 2:
278-80)
Question126:
Since the Prophet
(pbuh) referred to the acceptability of entertaining oneself, are we
allowed to play chess or cards for a mere passing of time?
Answer
126: There are
certain Islamic rules and regulations that govern the use of
different pleasure facilities and entertaining oneself. These rules
and regulations conclude any form of entertainment that has been
evidently forbidden may not be used for entertaining oneself. Some
scholars say they have grounds to believe that chess was forbidden;
therefore, Muslims should not play it.
Playing
any other kind of game, which is good for health and/or mind, is
permissible, provided that there is no evidence of its prohibition.
However, playing lawful games should not distract us from fulfilling
our duties or indulge us in sinful deeds.
Muslim
scholars agree that playing chess is forbidden if it is played as a
form of gambling, or if it causes one to neglect a duty like
performing prayer. It is also disallowed if it implies lying or
cause swearing and/or leads to any kind of harm. Yet, scholars have
different opinions: some of them prohibit paying chess altogether,
others say it is not recommended; others still, say it is allowed
provided that players do not swear, that Muslims should not play with
non-good Muslims in the streets, and that it should not be played
very often because it may waste the time of Muslims and make them
heedless of their religious obligations such as remembering God and
worshipping. However, scholars recommend that Muslims are better off
not playing such games because the prophet (pbuh) says: “Leave
doubtful things, and do things that are certain (to be allowed).”2
PART
THREE
Questions and Answers on
The Holy Qur’an and
the Tradition of the Prophet (pbuh)
Translated
by
Muhammad
Kheir Nadman
Ahmad
H. Al-Hout
Chapter 1:
Issues Concerning the Holy Qur’an
Question
127:
Is the Holy Qur’an the word of God or that of Mohammad (pbuh)?
Answer
127: The Holy Qur’an
is the word of God, and it was revealed to Prophet Mohammad through
the Angel Gabriel. God made the Holy Qur’an Prophet Mohammad’s
miracle, and He challenged people to bring about anything similar,
but they couldn’t meet the challenge, and the miracle and the
challenge are still valid now, and they will be until the Day of
Judgment. Allah says: “Or do they say ‘He forged it’? Say:
‘Bring then a sura
like unto it, and call (to your aid) anyone you can, besides Allah,
if it be ye speak the truth!”
(Holy Qur’an: 10: 38). This
challenge to bring just one sura,
no matter how short it is, similar to the ones that are in the Holy
Qur’an is a testimony that this holy book was not written by Man,
for had Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) fabricated it, another human would
have been able to bring something similar.
It
is interesting and valuable to know, in this respect, the difference
between the style of the Holy Qur’an and that of the sayings of the
Prophet (pbuh).
We have at our disposal thousands of books containing the traditions
of the Prophet (pbuh), and anyone with any knowledge of Arabic
stylistics can easily recognize the great difference between the two
styles. The style of the Holy Qur’an is far superior to that of
the sayings of the Prophet (pbuh), and beyond the ability of any
human to imitate. The Arabs at the time of the Prophet (pbuh) knew
him very well, and knew his linguistic abilities before the Qur’an
was revealed to him, for they were eloquent and articulate people,
and they used to hold public festivities for reciting poetry. Yet,
given the clear stylistic differences between the language of the
Holy Qur’an and that of the Prophet (pbuh), none of them could say
with fairness that the Qur’an was invented by Mohammad (pbuh).
Moreover, for all his life before the Revelation, he was never known
to have any oratory or poetic abilities, and he never took part in
any of the cultural activities they used to hold, because, as
everybody knew, he was an illiterate person. A close investigative
look at the Holy Qur’an shows many facets of its miraculous nature
that further proves that it was revealed by almighty God to the
Prophet:
1.
The language and style of the Holy Qur’an. We have already
mentioned that the prophet challenged the Arabs to bring something
similar, but they failed to meet that challenge. The Holy Qur’an
still poses the same challenge to people all over the world: “Say:
‘If the whole of mankind and Jinns
were to gather together to produce the like of this Qur’an, they
could not produce the like thereof, even if they backed up each other
with help and support’.”
(Holy Qur’an: 17: 88)
2. The way it was composed.
The Holy Qur’an was not revealed all at once. Rather, it was
revealed throughout more than a twenty-year period, and every time
new verse(s) was/were revealed to the Prophet, he asked his
companions to place it/them at a certain place in the Qur’an to
form a unique sequence. Nevertheless, the Holy Qur’an was
completed in its present form as a homogeneous unit, so much so the
reader would think that it was revealed all at once.
3. The knowledge it contains.
The Holy Qur’an contains a lot of information and knowledge that
guides people to the right path. The kind of information it contains
is so deep and profound that it would have been impossible for an
illiterate person like Mohammad (pbuh), or for any other human, to
fabricate it.
4. Its fulfillment of human
needs at all times. This makes the Holy Qur’an unique, because It
reformed all beliefs, worships and ethics. It also reformed society
through guiding people to be united and relinquish tribalism because
they are all descendants of Adam and Eve, and that no human is better
than another except through piety. The Qur’an teaches people that
they are all equal before God. It also preaches justice, forbids
usury, allows trade, and so on and so forth.
5.
What the Holy Qur’an had revealed after a long wait. The Holy
Qur’an contains many verses that dealt with great issues, yet they
were only revealed after a long wait. This shows that the Holy
Qur’an is the word of almighty God; had it been that of Mohammad
(pbuh), there would have been no need for the long wait, as was the
case in the verses commenting on the hadith
of calumny, and the delay in answering the question of the infidels
about the nature of the spirit.
6.
Some suras
(chapters) of the Holy Qur’an start by the command “say”, and
more than 332 verses contain the same command which was addressed to
the prophet (pbuh). This clearly indicates that the Holy Qur’an
was not the word of Mohammad (pbuh), but that of God.
7. The scientific evidence it
contains. The Holy Qur’an contains many scientific facts that were
not known at the time of revelation. To save time and space only few
examples can be mentioned here; those who want a more detailed
account can always refer to the many many books dealing with the
Scientific Inimitability in the Holy Qur’an. The Holy Qur’an
states:
“Man
we did create from a quintessence (of clay); then We placed him as (a
drop of) sperm in a place of rest, firmly fixed; then We made the
sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a
(fetus) lump; then We made out of that lump bones and clothed the
bones with flesh; then We developed out of it another creature. So
blessed be Allah, the Best to create!”
(Holy Qur’an: 23: 12-14).
These
verses contain a detailed description of the developmental stages of
the embryo, a description that has only been verified by contemporary
scientists. So who could have told Mohammad (pbuh) about these
stages of embryological development? It has been only possible for
modern scientists to learn about these stages through the help of
modern X-ray and other technological equipments. Therefore, some
scientists converted to Islam as soon as they came across verses like
these in the Holy Qur’an, because they knew that no human could
have known these facts 1400 years ago. These verses could have only
come from the Creator.
Another
example is the description of the forming of clouds and rain,
something that nobody knew anything about at the time. Allah (swt)
says in the Holy Qur’an says:
“Seest
thou not that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them
together, then makes them into a heap? -then wilt thou see rain issue
forth from their midst. And He sends down from the sky mountains
masses (of clouds) wherein is hail: He strikes therewith whom He
pleases and He turns it away from whom He pleases. The vivid flash
of its lightening well-nigh blinds the sight”
(Holy Qur’an: 24: 43).
Almighty
God explains in this verse how small clouds get together in the sky,
and when they form a big cloud rain falls. It is doubtful that
anybody had known about this mechanism before modern times.
The
Holy Qur’an also talks about the breathlessness caused by ascending
to the sky. Allah says in the Holy Qur’an:
“Those
whom Allah willeth to guide, -He openeth their breast to Islam; those
whom He willeth to leave straying, -He maketh their breast close and
constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus doth Allah
lay abomination on those who refuse to believe (Holy
Qur’an: 6: 125).
This
verse describes the condition of the aberrant as that of a person
ascending towards the sky where there is a lack of oxygen: the higher
he gets, the more breathless he feels. So who could have told
Mohammad (pbuh) about that other than the Great Master of the
universe?
There
are so many other verses that testify to the fact that the Holy
Qur’an is the Word of God through exposing scientific evidence
relating to man, the earth, the sky, the sea, the stars, and the
planets.
Question
128: How
do you prove that the Qur’an Muslims read today is the same that
was revealed upon Mohammad (pbuh), and that it has not been altered
or that it does not contain fabrications?
Answer128:
The Holy Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet (pbuh) through Angel
Gabriel. The prophet’s sole and initial concern was to memorize
every single piece of it. However, God Himself has promised to
preserve this holy book in the prophet’s memory and to enable him
to read it. In the Qur’an God says:
“Move
not thy tongue concerning the (Qur’an) to make haste therewith. It
is for Us to collect it and to recite it, follow though its recital
(as promulgated): Nay more, it is for Us to explain it (and make it
clear)” (Holy Qur’an:
75: 16-19).
Every
time the prophet received revelations, he would peruse that to his
companions slowly so that they could learn it well and understand its
secrets. Night after night the Prophet would spend teaching his
companions the Qur’an. He also used to read it during prayers, and
Angel Gabriel used to read it with him once a year, and in the last
year of his life the Angel read it with him twice.
The
Prophet’s companions made every single effort to make sure that
they memorized the Qur’an from the very beginning, and they used to
pride themselves on having memorized more of the Holy Qur’an.
Thus, memorizers and/or reciters of the Qur’an were so many during
the prophet’s life. Moreover, the prophet himself (pbuh) had
writers of the Divine Revelation, and every time something new was
revealed to him he used to say “place it after God’s saying so
and so and before His saying so and so.” By the time the prophet
(pbuh) passed away, the Holy Qur’an had been already written and
memorized. Then it was collected in one book, and later on it was
collected again and copied during the era of caliph Uthman (3rd
caliph) and distributed these copies all over the Islamic State.
Thus, the Holy Qur’an was passed from generation to generation
through its memorization and written form, and this is a unique honor
to the Islamic nation. Muslims have spread all over the world since,
carrying with them copies of the Holy Qur’an; nevertheless, there
is no difference whatsoever in the Qur’an that Muslims read in
Africa, Asia, Europe, America or Australia, and we have never heard
that they have disagreed ever about the precision of the Qur’an,
for all of them have agreed that the Holy Qur’an that they have
today is the same Qur’an that was revealed to prophet Mohammad
(pbuh) by God. Moreover, God promised to preserve the Qur’an. He
says: “We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; And We will
assuredly guard it (from corruption)”
(Holy Qur’an: 15: 9).
Question
129: What
are the similarities and differences between the Qur’an and the
other earlier Holy Books?
Answer
129: Islam is
Allah’s sole and true religion, all prophets preached Islam. Islam
means full submission to God through unqualified obedience and
relinquishing polytheism, because all religions preach monotheism.
Almighty God says: “Not a messenger did we send before thee without
this inspiration sent by Us to him: that there is no God but I;
therefore worship and serve Me” (Holy
Qur’an: 21: 25).
As
far as basic beliefs and worship practices are concerned all
religions are also similar. In the Qur’an God says:
“The
same religion has He established for you as that which He enjoined On
Noah-the which We have sent by inspiration to thee- and that which We
enjoined on Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: Namely, that ye should Remain
steadfast in Religion, and make no divisions therein: to those who
worship other things than Allah, hard is the (way) to which thou
callest them. Allah chooses to Himself those whom He pleases, and
guides to Himself those who turn (to Him)”
(Holy Qur’an: 42: 13).
Thus,
all prophets preached monotheism, informed people about God and the
hereafter, and advocated the basic belief in the same messages of
divine Books.
The
main differences, however, lie in the legislative and commandment
laws, because the divine laws are based on looking after the
interests of those required to worship. However, what might be
feasible for one nation might not necessarily be the same for
another. Therefore, the details kept changing without touching the
basics, until human societies developed and matured. It was then
that God sent His final and eternal religion, Islam. God points to
the differences in religious legislations when He says: “To each
among you have We prescribed a Law and an Open Way.”
(Holy Qur’an: 5: 48).
Question
130: How has it
been possible to preserve the Holy Qur’an until the present time?
And what is the methodology that was followed to preserve it without
change?
Answer
130: The
Holy Qur’an has been preserved with great care, and no other book
has ever received such attention. During the period of revelation,
the prophet (pbuh) did his utmost best to memorize the Holy Qur’an,
so much so that God promised His prophet to preserve it:
“Move
not thy tongue concerning the (Qur’an) to make haste therewith. It
is for us to collect it and to recite it: But when we have recited
it, follow thou its recital (as promulgated).”
(Holy Qur’an: 75: 16-18).
Every
time new verse(s) was/were revealed to him, the prophet (pbuh) used
to memorize it/them himself, teach them to his companions and request
some of his companions to write and arrange it/them in a special
place before or after specific previously revealed verses. The
companions of the prophet (pbuh), and the Arabs in general, were (and
still) great memorizers. Ibn Masoud said: “I memorized from the
mouth of the prophet seventy suras
of the Holy Qur’an while Zaid ibn Thabit (another memorizer) was
still a young boy playing with the kids.”3
Ibn Masoud also said: ”I know where and why every verse of the
Holy Qur’an was revealed, and had I known someone who knew more
about the Holy Qur’an than me I would have ridden my camel and gone
to him”. The prophet’s companions were truly hard workers, and
many of them memorized the entire Holy Qur’an such as Zaid ibn
Thabet, Ibn Masoud, and Ubai ibn Ka’b, to name but a few.
The
complete Holy Qur’an was written during the time of the prophet,
but it was written on separate sheets of paper that were not unified
in one volume. After the death of the prophet, the first caliph Abu
Bakr (may God be pleased with him) decided to collect the Holy Qur’an
in one volume. Therefore, he commissioned a group of the memorizers
of the Holy Qur’an, headed by Zaid ibn Thabet, to do the Job. The
chosen committee followed a great methodology in collecting the
written sheets of the Holy Qur’an and comparing what was written
with what was memorized. One of the main stipulations of that
committee was the presence of at least two written copies of the same
verses. They did not accept the written version unless it
corresponded to the memorized one, and vice versa. Zaid and his
colleagues did their utmost best to insure the authenticity of their
work. It was related that Zaid asked to be exonerated from this task
when he was first selected, but upon the insistence of both Omar and
Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them), he agreed reluctantly. He
described his great sense of responsibility towards the great task by
saying: “I swear by Allah that had they asked me to move a mountain
from one place to another I’d would have felt more at ease.”
The
Holy Qur’an was first written in one volume during the era of Abu
Bakr, and it was kept in his safekeeping until he died. Then Omar
took it into his safekeeping, and when Omar died, Hafsa (his daughter
and the prophet’s widow) took over the task of taking care of the
–till then- only complete volume of the Holy Qur’an.
When
Uthman became caliph after Omar, he instructed another committee
headed, again, by Zaid ibn Thabet, to write many copies of the Holy
Qur’an in order to distribute them in all parts of the Islamic
Empire that was growing bigger and bigger.
From
what has been said so far, we may conclude the following:
1. Muslims took a great care in
writing and memorizing the Holy Qur’an.
2. The Holy Qur’an was
written at a very early stage during the life of the Prophet (pbuh).
Shortly after his death (within two years), the Holy Qur’an was
collected in one volume, and in the era of Uthman, copies of it were
distributed in all parts of the Islamic Empire.
3. This great care continues
until our modern time. Generations after generations of Muslims have
memorized the Holy Qur’an and kept written records of it until now,
and every effort has been directed towards keeping the Holy Qur’an
safe from any deduction or addition in all parts of the Islamic
world. Therefore, it can be said, with absolute accuracy, that the
Holy Qur’an that Muslims read in the East and West, South and North
is the same one that God revealed to His messenger hundreds of years
ago.
It
is worth mentioning that the style of the Holy Qur’an is so unique
that if someone makes a mistake while reciting it, it is usually
possible for the person listening to the recitation to recognize the
mistake even if the listener does not memorize the Holy Qur’an.
Above
all, God took upon Himself to keep His Book safe. He says: “We
have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We will assuredly
guard it (from corruption)”
(Holy Qur’an: 15: 9).
One of the indications of this divine preservation is materialistic
means that God has facilitated in order to preserve this Qur’an,
such as making its memorization easy. Hod says: “And We have
indeed made the Qur’an easy to understand and remember: then is
there any that will receive admonition?”
(Holy Qur’an: 54: 32).
Nowadays,
the methods of preserving the Holy Qur’an have become more
advanced, especially after employing modern audiovisual equipments to
serve this purpose. Some excellent reciters have recorded the
complete Qur’an, adding to the Islamic audio library hundreds of
different beautiful voices reciting the Holy Qur’an, and many of
these recitations have been recorded on audiovisual tapes, compact
disks, and it has been made available for access on the Internet as
well. Thus, almighty God has inspired Muslims to write the Holy
Qur’an and take care of it since it was first revealed to the
prophet (pbuh) until now, and this will continue to be true till the
Day of Judgment.
Question
131: Is the
convert’s reward for reading a translation of the meanings of the
Holy Qur’an the same as that he/she can get for reading the actual
Arabic text of the Holy Qur’an?
Answer
131: The actual
Arabic text of the Holy Qur’an is the word of almighty God that He
revealed to His prophet Mohammad (pbuh). Therefore, reading the
actual text is not the same as reading the translation. Muslims are
supposed to get one hasanah
(merit) for each letter they read from the Qur’an, and each merit
is doubled ten times. The translations of the meanings of the Holy
Qur’an are the words of humans, and the reward for reading them is
similar to that which we get for reading Islamic books and commentary
interpretations of the Holy Qur’an.
Question
132: How can a
non-Muslim learn about the Holy Qur’an if he/she is not allowed to
touch it?
Answer
132: Non-Muslims can
learn about the Holy Qur’an through listening to it or reading it
over the Internet for example. He may also read books that talk
about Islam and explain the meanings of the Qur’an. Otherwise, he
could be taught about Islam and invited to be a Muslim, and if he/she
reverts to Islam he/she will be able to handle the Holy Qur’an and
read it.
Question
133: The Holy
Qur’an includes precise and similar verses, as well as abrogating
and abrogated verses. What is the wisdom behind such divisions?
Answer
133: The Holy Qur’an
is precise and perfect book because God formed it in such a
meticulous way that no stylistic or semantic corruption can ever
affect it. It is also all-similar because the rules mentioned in it
are similar and do not contribute to ambiguity in its verses and
vocabulary. The wisdom of having precise verses is clear from its
definition. As for the similar, Islamic scholars divided it into
three types:
1. A type that cannot be known
like the time of the Day of Judgment and so on.
2. Another type that man can
know like foreign expressions and some rules.
3.
A third type that has features of both types (1) and (2), and this
type is only understood by well-educated scholars like Ibn Abbas for
whom the prophet made the following du’aa,
prayer: “May Allah make him well-versed in the religion (of Islam)
and teach him interpretation (of the Holy Qur’an)”.
The
wisdom of having similar verses can be summarized in the following:
1. God’s mercy upon the weak
human being who cannot bear learning everything. If the mountain
collapsed and Moses fell unconscious when God revealed Himself, what
would it have been like if He had revealed Himself to ordinary
humans? It is partly for this reason that God kept the time of the
Day of Judgment as a secret.
2. Putting man to affliction
and trial: would people believe in the unseen simply because the
truthful Prophet told us about it or not? Those who are guided to
the right path say we believe! And those who have doubts in their
hearts deny it and follow the similar verses as a way of getting
around religion.
3.
To give an evidence of the weakness and ignorance of man regardless
of how technologically advanced people become, and to show the
superior powers of God the All-Knowing, so that man would obey and
say what the angels said in the Holly Qur’an: “They said: “Glory
to Thee: of knowledge we have none, save What Thou hast taught us: in
truth it is Thou Who art perfect in knowledge and wisdom” (Holy
Qur’an: 2: 32).
4. To accomplish the miraculous
quality of the Holy Qur’an.
As
for abrogation, we say that it occurred in Islamic law in the sense
that God abrogated all previous religions by Islam, and abrogated
some Islamic principles by other Islamic ones. The wisdom behind
abrogating all other religions by Islam is due to the fact that the
latter has the most perfect laws that satisfy the needs of human
beings at all times. The teachings of different religions came to
satisfy the specific needs of human beings at certain times of
historical developments. Islam, however, came only when man was
developed enough to receive this perfect religion as the last divine
set of laws that combines the benefit of humans with the flexibility
of rules, and the needs of both body and soul. It also compromised
religion with science and regulated the relationship between God and
humans on the one hand, and humans with the world around them until
the Day of Judgment.
On
the other hand, we can say that God’s wisdom behind abrogating some
Islamic rules by other Islamic rules is due to the policy of the
Islamic nation, where rules are stipulated step by step to make them
easier to follow until they reach perfection. This was possible by
guiding Muslims from easy rules to more difficult ones, until success
was achieved. The wisdom of abrogating difficult rules by easier
ones was to make things easier for Muslims and to show the bounty of
God. The wisdom of abrogating a rule with an equally difficult or
easy one was to put Muslims to the test so that hypocrites would be
known and punished, and believers would be known and rewarded. The
wisdom of abrogating easy rules by more difficult ones was to train
Muslims and get them ready for what was to come, such as the attitude
of Islam towards alcoholic drinks where Muslims were prepared step by
step for the acceptance of its final prohibition. This principle of
gradual prohibition is unique to Islam.
Question
134: How were the
suras (chapters) of the Holy Qur’an arranged? And who gave the
suras their present names?
Answer
134: The majority of
the Islamic scholars are of the opinion that the arrangement of the
suras
in the Holy Qur’an came about through revelation. There are some
who believe that only part of the arrangement was done through
revelation and that the other part was done through the jurisprudence
of the prophet’s companions. However, ever since caliph Uthman
compiled the Holy Qur’an and arranged it in its present form, the
whole Islamic nation accepted it without any alteration or
reservation. Therefore, it is a duty upon all Muslims to respect
this arrangement and abide by it to preserve the sacredness of the
Word of God. As for naming the suras
of the Holy Qur’an, there are different opinions: some scholars,
such as Al-Suyti, believe that the names were revealed to the
prophet; others believe that it was the prophet’s companions who
gave these names. However, the existence of more than one name for
some suras
is evidence that these names were given to suras
by the companions. Dr. Subhi Al-Saleh argues that we do not have
strong evidence that the names of suras
were revealed.4
Chapter 2:
Tradition of the Prophet (pbuh):
Question135:
What are the
differences among the following terms: Holy Qur’an, the hadith
(saying, action or approval of the prophet pbuh) and the qudsi
(sacred) hadith?
Answer
135: The Holy Qur’an
is the primary source of Islamic law. It tells how a good Muslim
should be and how he should behave with his family and in society at
large. The rules set by the Qur’an are religiously binding and no
Muslim is allowed to break these rules. The Qur’an was revealed to
prophet Mohammad (pbuh) in a sequence and on certain occasions that
necessitated certain rules. Each sura
was either revealed in full or in part according the occasion. The
prophet (pbuh) used to ask the revelation writers of his companions
to write down what was revealed, and that is how the Holy Qur’an
was preserved. The prophet used to recite verses of the Holy Qur’an
in his prayers and during his Friday sermons, and teach it to his
companions. Ibn Masoud said: “I memorized from the mouth of the
Prophet seventy suras
of the Holy Qur’an.”5.
The companions used to memorize the Holy Qur’an to recite it in
their prayers.
It
was the divine inspiration that was used to reveal the verse and show
its location in the Holy Qur’an. This is why the arranged sequence
of the verses and suras
in the Holy Qur’an is divine and cannot be tampered with by humans.
The Holy Qur’an challenged the Arabs, who were well versed in
language, to write an equivalent book to the Qur’an, ten suras,
or even one sura.
But they failed to do so, and so did the one who followed until our
present day, and those who attempted came out with some funny texts.6
The
tradition or hadith
of the prophet is defined as any “sayings and/or actions of the
prophet (pbuh)”. The differences between the Holy Qur’an and the
hadith
can be summarized in the following points:
1. The Holy Qur’an is the
word of God, which is unique in its style, rhythm and content.
2. The wording, meaning, style,
stories, proverbs and laws of the Holy Qur’an are miraculous.
3.
God has promised to preserve this miracle, the Holy Qur’an, from
any changes or alterations till the Day of Judgment. He says: “We
have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We will assuredly
guard it (from corruption)” (Holy
Qur’an: 15: 9).
Therefore, it is one of the conditions of correct reading that the
style of writing should be identical to that which was written in era
of caliph Uthman, which was in turn identical to the version that was
written in the time of prophet Mohammad (pbuh).
4.
The Holy Qur’an has been transmitted from one generation to the
other in a traditionary way (tawatur),
whereby reciters of the Holy Qur’an have been groups of people who
could not have conspired to lie. Therefore, the Holy Qur’an has
been the most correct book on earth since it was revealed through
Angel Gabriel to the Prophet (pbuh).
5.
Anyone denying the authenticity of the Holy Qur’an –or part of
it- is regarded as blasphemous (kafir).
6.
The Holy Qur’an consists of a limited number of chapters (suras)
amounting to 114 suras,
and each sura
is divided into smaller parts called verses (ayat).
7. Reciting certain verses of
the Holy Qur’an in each prayer is obligatory, and no prayer is true
unless verses of the Qur’an are recited in it.
8. Anyone with minor ritual
impurity is not allowed to touch the Holy Qur’an, and anyone with a
major ritual impurity is not allowed to recite it.
9. Muslims are rewarded one
merit for reading each letter of the Holy Qur’an.
10. The Holy Qur’an should be
recited literally and not in the form of interpretation.
The
above are the main characteristics of the Holy Qur’an that
distinguish it from all other religious texts, including the
traditions of the prophet hadith.
The
qudsi
(sacred) hadith
are those that did not originate from the prophet (pbuh), but from
God. Thus, the qudsi
hadith
occupies an intermediate place between the Holy Qur’an and the
tradition of the prophet (nabawi
hadith).
The wording, meaning and sequence of the Holy Qur’an were revealed
from God directly to the prophet (pbuh). The qudsi
hadith was revealed
as meaning only to the Prophet (pbuh) from almighty God, but the
wording was from the Prophet (pbuh) himself. Therefore, the qudsi
hadiths share with
the Holy Qur’an the quality of being ascribed to almighty God, and
differ with it in all other qualities. The qudsi
hadith shares the
qualities of the nabawi
hadith in being
subject to categorization: true, sound, or weak hadith.
The qudsi hadith
can not be recited in prayers, a person with minor ritual impurity
may touch the book containing it, a person with a major ritual
impurity may recite it, and it can be related in the form of
interpretation, etc.
The
tradition of the Prophet (pbuh) differs from the qudsi
hadith,
although they were both inspired by almighty God in the light of what
He says in the Holy Qur’an: “For Allah hath sent down to thee the
Book and Wisdom and taught thee what thou knewest not (before)”
(Holy Qur’an: 4: 113);
and
“Nor
does he (the Prophet) say (aught) of (his own) Desire. It is no less
than inspiration sent down to him”
(Holy Qur’an: 53: 3-4).
The
prophet (pbuh) also says “I have been given the Holy Qur’an and
another similar thing” in a reference to the fact that the qudsi
hadith was revealed
by God like the Holy Qur’an. But while the Qur’an was a direct
revelation, the qudsi
hadith was a mere
inspiration. It must be stressed that the tradition of the prophet
was guided by God so that the prophet (pbuh) would not do anything
against the teachings of Islamic laws. It is in this sense that the
tradition of the prophet is ascribed to divine inspiration as well.
Question
136: What is the
difference between the tradition (sunnah) of the prophet and the
biography (sirah) of the prophet (pbuh)?
Answer
136: The tradition
(sunnah)
of the prophet is, as we have already defined it, the collections of
recorded words, actions, and sanctions of prophet Mohammad (pbuh).
It is a recommended, rather compulsory deed. It is usually organized
according to the subject under discussion, such as belief, prayer,
purity, alms, fasting, pilgrimage, etc. On the other hand; the
biography (sirah)
of the prophet (pbuh) is the story of the life of the prophet. It
tells the actions that happened to him in a historical order.
However, sunnah
and sirah
do sometimes, because sunnah
itself is one of the sources of the sirah.
And any prophetic saying relates what happened with the prophet at a
certain time is recorded as part of the sirah.
Sirah
is the practical application of the Holy Qur’an and sunnah,
and thus it is more general because it incorporates sunnah
as well as what the Prophet as the leader of the Islamic nation and
as a human, i.e. actions that did not have religious implications.
Chapter 3:
The Prophetic Biography (the Sirah)
Question
137: How can I
really know that Mohammad was a true messenger of God?
Answer
137: We have to
point out that:
A.
The belief that Mohamed (pbuh) is a messenger of God is a sub-issue
that is based on the belief in God. It is illogical to give a single
proof that Mohammad (pbuh) is a true messenger of God to an atheist.
B.
Looking back into the history of mankind, we realize that God sent a
messenger and/ or prophet to each nation to teach them His book(s)
and wisdom, and to show them the right path they should follow to
enjoy a comfortable and peaceful life, so that they would form a
virtuous society and apply His system on earth. No society would
ever enjoy righteousness unless its members follow the commands of
their Creator, because He knows best what is good for them in this
life and the hereafter, since, originally, He ordains what is good
for them. But if ordaining is left to people, the society will not
be safe. Man-made systems have never been complete, because the
human mind cannot comprehend what is good for them in this life and
the hereafter.
However,
in order to answer the original question we can say:
1.
I refer the reader to the argument above in which I gave evidence
that the Holy Qur’an is the word of God. To prove that the Holy
Qur’an is the word of God is at the same time to prove that
Mohammad (pbuh) is His prophet and messenger, because it is
universally agreed that the Holy Qur’an was revealed to Mohammad
(pbuh).
2.
Mohammad (pbuh) claimed that he is a messenger of God fourteen
centuries ago; since then, God has not sent any other messenger to
contradict this claim. On the contrary, we have seen that God
supported Mohammad (pbuh) by giving him many miracles to corroborate
his claim of being a true messenger of God.
3.
Prophethood is claimed either by an absolutely truthful person, or by
a complete liar, and only the ignorant won’t be able to distinguish
between the two. There are many ways to distinguish between a liar
and a truthful person in matters that are even less important that
the claim of prophethood, so it should be easier to distinguish
between the two in such matters.
No
liar has ever claimed
prophethood without being exposed by aspects of ignorance, lying and
profligacy, and without showing signs of being obsessed by demons. A
true messenger/prophet has to tell about things, give commands and do
things that show either his lying or truthfulness. Those who knew
the messenger and his truthful nature, knew for sure that he was not
lying in his claim of prophethood. A knowledgeable person can tell
when a man is satisfied, and when he is in the state of, love,
hatred, happiness, sadness, and other states of mind that show on the
face of a person. God says
“Had
We so willed, we could have shown them up to thee, and thou shouldst
have known them by their marks: but surely thou wilt know them by the
tone of their speech! And God knows all that ye do (Holy
Qur’an: 37: 40).”
Uthman
ibn Affan (the third caliph) said: “No one has ever intended
something secretly without getting exposed by God by showing signs of
his secrets on his face and making the person say accidentally what
he is hiding”. If this is true of normal daily matters, it is even
more so when a crucial issue like prophethood is involved.
Khadijah
(the prophet’s first wife) knew his truthfulness and honesty.
Therefore, when the messenger (pbuh) told her, having received the
first revelation, that he was afraid, she said to him:” Nay. God
will never let ye down. For you keep good relations with your kith
and kin, tell the truth, look after the sick, receive your guests
hospitably, give to the poor, and help people in their daily
affairs”. She praised his high values and character, and, surely,
God never lets down people with these qualities and values. Khadija
soon accompanied the messenger to Warqa’ ibn Nawfal (one of her
relatives who was well known Christian priest and among the first to
write the Bible in Arabic) and asked him: “Hear thee, uncle, what
(Mohammad) says.” Having heard Muhammad, Waraqa’ said “This is
the kind of revelation (Angel) that used to come to Moses.”
Negus,
who was Emperor of Ethiopia during the messenger’s time, said about
him: “His preaching and that of Moses come from the same source”.
Hercules,
the Roman emperor, having received a letter from Mohammad (pbuh)
inviting him to Islam, summoned all Arabs who were in Al-Sham
(greater Syria) at the time, including Abu Sufian who was there on
business. Hercules asked about the qualities and status of Mohammad
(pbuh), and he realized from Abu Sufian’s answers that he
(Mohammad) carried all the signs and qualities of all the true
messengers mentioned in the Old and New Testaments, and which
Hercules knew only too well. It was documented that Hercules would
have become a Muslim had he not feared the wrath of his people, and
the loss of reign. The following conversation took place between
Hercules (H) and Abu Sufian (AS).
H: ”Has anyone claimed
(prophethood) before him?”
AS: ”No”.
H: “Does he have a good
lineage among the Arabs?”
AS: “Yes he has”.
H: “Has he ever been accused
of lying before he claimed prophethood?”
AS: “Not really, we have
never known him to be a liar”.
H: “Was he followed by the
weak people or the rich and powerful ones?”
AS: “The weak ones”.
H: “Was anyone of his
ancestors a king?”
AS: “No”.
H: “Are his followers on the
increase or decrease?”
AS: “They are on the
increase”
H: “Has any of his followers
apostatized?”
AS: “No”
H: “Does he betray?”
AS: “No”
H: “Have you fought him?”
AS: “Yes”
H: “How is your war with him
progressing?”
AS: “Sometimes we win
sometimes, somettimes he does.”
H: “What does he ask you to
do?”
AS: “To worship one God only
and associate Him with nothing; to abandon the commands of our
ancestors, perform prayer, be truthful, chaste, and to have good
relations with our kith and kin”
H: “I asked you about his
ancestry, you said he had good lineage, and messengers are usually
chosen from good ancestry. I asked you if anyone of you claimed to
be a prophet before him, you said no, and I say had someone before
him claimed to be a prophet I would have said that he was just
emulating other people. I asked if any of his ancestors was king,
you said no, and I say that had any of his ancestors been king I
would have accused him of seeking his ancestor’s reign. I asked if
you ever accused of being a liar before he claimed prophethood, and
you said no. I say that he wouldn’t have left lying to people to
lying to God. I asked if his followers were the weak or noble
people, and you said that they were the weak, and those are the
followers of messengers. I asked if his followers were increasing or
decreasing, you said they were increasing, and this is the way of
faith until it is complete. I asked if any of his followers
apostatized, and you said no, and that is how faith is when it
touches the heart. I asked if he betrays, and you said no, and
messengers never betray. I asked what he orders you to do, and you
said to worship God and associate no one with Him, and forbids you
from worshipping idles, and orders you to pray and be truthful and
chaste. If all what you say is true, he will conquer my own kingdom.
I knew he was forthcoming, but I did not expect him to be one of you
(an Arab). If I knew I could reach him, I would have made an effort
to meet him, and if I were with him I would wash his feet.”
4.
The holy Qur’an that was revealed by God to Mohammad (pbuh)
foretold many future events that happened later on in the same way
the Qur’an said they would. These events include:
a.
God says in the Holy
Qur’an: “Truly did God fulfill the vision for His messenger: Ye
shall enter the Sacred Mosque, if God wills, with minds secure, heads
shaved, hair cut, and without fear. For He knew what ye Knew not,
and He granted, besides this, a speedy victory” (Holy
Qur’an: 48: 27)..
And this is what exactly happened, the prophet’s companions entered
the Holy Mosque with their heads shaved or their hair cut, feeling
secure.
b.
God says in the Holy Qur’an: “God has promised, to those among
you who believe and work righteous deeds, that He will, of a surety,
grant them in the land, inheritance (of power), as He granted it to
those before them; that He will establish in authority their religion
–the one which He has chosen for them; and that He will change
(their state), after the fear in which they (lived ), to one of
security and peace: ‘they will worship Me (alone) and not associate
aught with Me.’ If any do reject Faith after this, they are
rebellious and wicked”
(Holy Qur’an: 24: 55). And,
truly, God fulfilled His promise in a short time, for within thirty
years of the caliphate era, Muslims reached the borders of China in
the East, and the Atlantic Ocean in the West.
c.
God says in the Holy
Qur’an: “When comes the Help of God, and Victory * And thou dost
see the people enter God’s Religion in crowds” (Holy
Qur’an: 110: 1-2).
Later on, Mecca was conquered, and people entered the religion of God
in crowds.
d.
God says in the Holy Qur’an: “Say to those who reject Faith:
‘Soon will ye be vanquished’.”
(Holy Qur’an: 3: 12). And
this is exactly what happened later on, and the non-believers became
vanquished.
5. The messenger (pbuh)
foretold many events before they actually happened. Some of these
events include:
a. When he described the
immigration to Medina to his companions, and it happened as he
described.
b. He predicted that Muslims
would conquer Mecca, Jerusalem, Yemen, Al-Sham (greater Syria) and
Iraq.
c. He prophesied that security
would prevail in the Arabian Peninsula so much so that a woman would
be able to travel from Hira to Mecca fearing nothing but God.
d. Once he told his companions
that Ali would conquer the town of Kheibar the next day, and he did.
e. He predicted that Muslims
would distribute the treasures of the Persian and Roman Emperors.
f. He said that Persian women
would serve in the homes of Muslims, and this happened during the
life of his companions.
g. He foretold that the era of
the companions would last for one hundred years, and the last
companion died in the year 110 H.
h. He predicted that sedition
amongst Muslims would not appear as long as Omar, the second caliph
was alive.
i. He said that Uthman, the
third caliph, would be killed while reading the Holy Qur’an.
And
there are plenty of other similar events.
6.
In order for people to believe messengers in their claims to be true
messengers of God, and in order to strengthen their positions, God
aided them with miracles. Some miracles are physical such as the
camel of Saleh, Moses’ club, and the miracles given to Jesus such
as curing the blind and the leprous and bringing the dead back to
life, etc. Miracles could also be abstract and mind challenging such
as the Holy Qur’an. Since Mohammad (pbuh) is the last prophet and
messenger, God blessed him with many physical, abstract and mind
challenging miracles. Some of these are: splitting the moon, the
flow of water from between his fingers, increasing the quantity of
food and drink, talking to animals, foretelling future events that
happened later, being greeted and obeyed by trees and stones, curing
the sick, and many other miracles. We recommend the reader here to
refer to the book of the Prophet’s
Miracles, which is
written by Al-Hafiz Abi Al-Fida Ishmael ibn Katheer. However,
Mohammad’s greatest everlasting miracle is the Holy Qur’an, which
is miraculous in many ways: the choice of its vocabulary, its
rhetorical structure that challenged humans and Jin to bring forward
a similar one and they failed, then the Holy Qur’an challenged them
to bring forward ten suras like the ones it contains and they failed,
and they even failed to meet its challenge to bring forward one sura.
Such a challenge would only emanate from a Source that is sure that
the Holy Qur’an cannot be imitated by humans. Had it been produced
by a human being, such a challenge would not have been posed. The
Holy Qur’an is also miraculous because it is so precise in relating
the history of ancient nations and their stories with their prophets.
It also foretold future events that actually happened later on in
the way the Holy Qur’an said they would. These are all miracles,
especially since Mohammad (pbuh) was illiterate, and did not study
history. The fact that these historical and future events were told
by an illiterate man can only serve to give evidence that he was a
true messenger of God. The just and comprehensive laws and
regulations stipulated in Holy Qur’an provide a further proof that
it is miraculous. Thus, the Holy Qur’an is miraculous in its
entirety: its choice of vocabulary, telling of events, and its
verdicts. It is a physical and mind challenging evidence on the true
prophethood and message of Mohammad (pbuh).
Question
138: Islamists
are nowadays accused of being terrorists and fundamentalists because
they often resort to violence, which they call jihad. Is this
religiously justifiable?
Answer
138: In order to
answer this question, we have to take some matters inot
consideration:
1.
We have to keep in mind that the media steers the public to the
direction that its owners desire. Today, after the collapse of the
Soviet Union, the only remaining enemy of the West is Islam, because
it is the only religion that the West could not, and will not be able
to, distort its teachings, suppress its voice, and stop its spread
throughout the world. People of knowledge should not become victims
of the media that tries to make the general public think that Muslims
are terrorists and fundamentalists who exploit the name of jihad in
their terrorism and fundamentalism.
2.
We need to ask: Who does describe Islamists as terrorists? The
enemies of Islam who live inside and outside Islamic countries, and
who are afraid of Islam, are the ones who invented this label to
Muslims with the aim of degrading Islam and Muslims, alienating
people from it, and to put Muslims in the position of the accused in
the eyes of international community that is dominated by the USA. In
his book The Arab
World Today Murd
Burger says:
The
fear of the Arabs and our interest in the Arab nation does not stem
from the existence of oil in huge quantities in their area, but
because of Islam! Islam has to be fought to prevent the unification
of the Arabs, because this unification could strengthen them. The
strength of the Arabs has always coincided with the strength and
spread of Islam”7.
Dan
Quail, the former American vice president said: “The only remaining
enemy of the West is Islam”8.
Quail classified Islam in the same category as Communism and Nazism,
and the Western media coined a new word to describe Islam
“fundamentalism.” The
Times magazine once
published on its cover a picture that combines a mosque minaret with
a machine gun under the headline: “Islamic Danger.” Our natural
response to such a description cannot be taken seriously because it
comes from an enemy, and enemies have never been fair. Moreover,
those who follow the biased Western media that invented these
descriptions of Muslims, and those who follow the writings and
declarations of Western thinkers and politicians realize that using
these descriptions of Muslims when Muslims defend their religion,
usurped Holy places, occupied lands, stolen rights and their dignity.
This was the case when Afghanis and their Muslim bretherns fought
the occupying forces of Communism, which violated international law
by occupying other people’s land and killing the people of this
land. The West, represented in its media and politics, did not
describe then such actions as terrorism or violence, but when the
Afghani people rose to defend themselves, their land and religion,
their enemies condemned that and described them as terrorists and
fundamentalists, and the lying Jewish media promoted these
accusations that spread very quickly throughout the international
community. This is quite natural given the fact that almost the
whole world listens to the West and its media, thinkers, and
politicians. They want Muslims to surrender to their enemy, give up
their religion and abandon their rights without any resistance; when
they do so they resist they will be called terrorists, and what was
said about the Afghani people is being said now about the
Palestinians in their struggle against Israel. The struggle of the
Palestinians is being called terrorism and violence, because they are
defending themselves, their Holy places and their land.
On
the other hand, what the Jews did in Qubayyah, Deir Yaseen, Sabra and
Shatilla, Qana, and other ugly massacres that were carried out
against the Palestinian people were not in the eyes of the West and
its media terrorism nor violence, but self defense.
The
most obvious example in our modern day are the fabrications
surrounding the Bosnian war that was witnessed by the whole world,
and the international tribunal in The Hague prosecuted its war
criminals. We pose the question: has the West found one Muslim war
criminal? Weren’t all the criminals either from the Serbs or the
Croats? So who should be called terrorists: Muslims or the others?
1
Cited in Ahmad,
hadith No. 2719; Ibn
Majah, hadith
No. 1332.
2
Cited in Bukhari, and Al-Turmudhi.
3
Ibn Masoud and Zaid Bin Thabet are companions of the Prophet (pbuh).
4
Dr. Subhi Al-Saleh, Mabahith
fi Ulum Al-Qur’an,
p.97.
5
Agreed upon.
6
Cf. Dr. Saleh Redha, Alsunna Alnabawya: ta’reefuha wa hejjyatuha.
7
SeeTowards a Deeper
Understanding of the Islamic Reality,
by Dr. Abdul Karim Bakkar.
8
ibid
