ISLAM
Interesting Islamic Facts
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The Majority of muslims do not live in the middle East. The most populous muslim country is Indonesia, the 4th largest country in the world with 184 million muslims
There are more muslims in India than the combined population of Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Palestine and the whole of the Arabian Peninsula.
The following English words are borrowed from Arabic: Algebra, Zero, Cotton, Sofa, Rice, Candy, Safron, Balcony. And even 'alchohol' derives from Arabic : al-kuhl meaning powder. These are just a few mentioned here.
The first treatise on smallpox and measles was written by Abu Bakr alrazi (c.864-925,known to Europe as Rhazes). (Due to this) Inoculation agianst smallpox became a common practise in muslim lands. Despite this , Scientific text book credit the invention of a smallpox vaccine to Edward Jenner.(1749-1823).
Early Oxbridge students studied books written by muslims on mathematics, medicine, chemistry, optics and astronomy.
Adelard of Bath (a city in the UK) was a leading scholar of the middle ages. what made him famous was translating the word of muslim scientists from Arabic to latin!
The 1860 city records of Cardiff (UK) show a masjid in operation in a converted building at 2 Glynrhondda St. Yemani sea men on their trips between Aden (in Yemen) and Cardiff founded this masjid.
The first purpose built masjid is claimed to be in Woking (South of England) with money provided by the ruler of Bhopal, in India (the Shah Jehan masjid was built in 1889).
The Islamic calender is based on the phases of the moon, with it being approximately 11 days shorter than the 365 days of the year in the Julien calender. Hence, the dates of our festivals move through the year.
The grand doors of our prophets (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) masjid in Medina weigh 2 and half tonnes each! Enormous quantities of "sag wood" was gathered from all over the world and shipped to the united kingdom to be dryed in computerised furnaces (the traditional drying process would have taken many years!). Even then , it took 5 months to dry the wood! the wood was then shipped to Barcelona (Spain), Where the main body of the doors where made. And finally the French even paid their little part, as the brass ornamentation was carried out in the city of Roi (France). Next time you visit the holy masjid, keep this entire in mind!
The Zam Zam well came into existance at the time of prophets Ibrahim and Ismail (alayhum salam). It then "dissapeared" for nearly 26 centuries (2600 years) due to the certain events and was rediscovered and dug by the grandfather of our beloved prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam). The location of the well was revealed to him in a dream.
It was only in 1932 the Kiswah (cloth of the Ka'bah) was wholly made by Saudis (citizens of Saudi Arabia).
The roof top of our prophet's (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) masjid in Madina is disigned to be strong enough to carry addtional floors in the future.
The black stone (as it is known), Cannot really be described in full, because the parts we touch with our hands and "Kiss" , are eight small pieces, the biggest of which is the size of a date.
Adam (alayhis salam) was 30 Ziraa tall. Ziraa is a measurement and one Ziraa is approximately half a metre.
Islam - The Easy Way
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One of the terms used by the Qur'an during the early Makkan period to describe Islam was Al-Yusraa, or 'The Easy Way'. This is simply because Islam was, and is the natural way of life. Indeed, whatever is natural for human beings should be easy for them in every way, hence cause them to gravitate towards it easily, and consequently bring harmony, peace and tranquillity to their lives. Since the Qur'an is the book upon which the Islamic way of life is built, then the Qur'an has to be easy to understand and follow-it is 'The Easy Way'.This view that Islam is easy to understand and practice, is one which is derived from the primary sources of Islam. In the Qur'an, Allah comforts us by continuously reassuring us that He desires for us ease not hardship, despite the seemingly formidable trials and tribulations that we may sometimes face. He says: "God desires ease for you, and desires not hardship" [2: 185]; "Truly with hardship comes ease' [94: 6];"God will assuredly appoint, after difficulty; easiness" [65: 7]; 'Whoso fears God, God will appoint for him, of His command, easiness" [65: 4]; "We shall speak to him, of our command, easiness" [18: 88];"God desires to lighten things for you, for the human being has been created weak" [94: 28].
In addition to the Quran, the Hadith literature is also replete with references exhorting us to adopt a balanced and simple approach to life. Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) has advised us: 'This Deen or way of life is easy But if anyone overdoes it, it gets the better of him. So keep to the right course, approximate to perfection, rejoice, and ask for help in the mornings, the evenings, and some of the latter part of the night'[Sahih al-Bukhari].The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) has also praised those who adopt a moderate approach to 'ibadah or worship. Ibadab, he said, should be done with freshness of heart, not an exhausting routine carried out in spite of fatigue.'Do those deeds which you can do easily, as Allah will not get tired [of giving rewards] till you get bored and tired [of performing good deeds! ... and the most beloved deed to Allah is the one which is done regularly even if it is little'[Sahih al-Bukhari].
Islam is not Complex
Islam is not a way of life that is complex or difficult. Rather it is the human being who practises Islam who often makes it difficult-and then, complexity overtakes him so that eventually he is unable to cope with even the simplest of tasks. That it is possible for every person to understand and practice Islam is assured by the following three principles:
Firstly, the basic beliefs contain no mystery and are therefore easy to comprehend. Every tenet in Islam is subject to analysis and inquiry. Moreover, Islam does not present stumbling blocks to the mind. Islam does not present concepts or ideas which the intellect cannot grasp. Even the simplest of minds can understand its basic beliefs. It is therefore not surprising that its beliefs are universal.
Secondly, the most important and stringent obligations ordained upon Muslims are easy to undertake. That is, the duties and obligations laid down by Allah have been graded. And, it is the wisdom of Allah that the greater the importance He has attached to any act, the easier it is for everyone to accomplish it. Thus, for example, the five daily Salat (Prayers) and Sawm (fasting) during the month of Ramadan are compulsory upon everyone, since they are within every-one 5 reach to accomplish. Zakat (almsgiving) and Hajj (pilgrimage), on the other hand, though fundamental pillars of Islam, are not compulsory upon everyone. If it were made compulsory upon everyone, then those who did not possess the financial means would be unable to carry out these duties. In such cases, it would not have been possible for everyone to practice Islam in all its facets. Therefore, these duties are obligatory only upon those who have the means to do so.
Thirdly, there are provisions for derogation when it is genuinely not possible for someone to fulfil an obligation. For instance, if a person is genuinely unable to stand up and pray, then he is permitted to sit down or even lie down and pray. Similarly, if there is no water available to perform the wudu or ablution before prayer, then one can make tayammum, which is a simple dry ablution performed by using clean earth or dust. Therefore, even when there appear to be difficulties, if one looks closely at the Shari'ah or Islamic legal code as a whole, one will find so many rules relating to derogation that enable one to practice Islam very easily-and this is the case regardless of the problem: political, economic or simply personal. Indeed, throughout the Quran various provisions have been made to ease things for travellers, for the sick, for pregnant or nursing women, for the old and for the poor, for on no soul does Allah place a burden greater than it can bear [7: 42] and 'He has chosen you, and has imposed no difficulties on you in religion' [22: 78].Therefore, as long as one possesses the basic tools-a sound knowledge of what is stated in the Shari'ah regarding a particular matter and an awareness of the responsibility for ones own actions-a person may decide for himself when to derogate from the standard. Thus, although according to the Shari'ah it is haram (or unlawful) to eat pork, if someone is on the brink of starvation and the only food available is this pork, then one can decide for oneself whether and when to consume this haram meat in order to survive, and thereby derogate from the standard. Of course, this does not make the pork halal or lawful, but neither will one be punished for committing a haram or prohibited act, so long as it is necessary for one's essential well being as a Muslim.
The Path of Moderation
Moderation which leads to balance, is a fundamental and distinguishing feature of Islam. Allah tells us: "We have made you a nation justly balanced" [2: 143]. Additionally, when the Quranic verse "As to monasticism which they themselves invented, We did not prescribe any of it for them" [57: 27] was revealed, the Prophet Muhammad commented: 'Do not overburden yourselves, lest you perish. People [before you] overburdened themselves and perished. Their remains are found in hermitages and monasteries'[Musnad of Abu Ya'la].In other words, excesses may eventually develop into large problems and even become a threat to the well being and security of the Muslim community.
Indeed, the Prophet always resisted any tendency towards religious excessiveness. He once said to his close Companion Abdullali ibn 'Amr: 'Have I heard tight that you fast everyday and stand in prayer all night?' Abdullah replied, 'Yes, 0 Messenger of God: The Prophet said, 'Do not do that. Fast, as well as, eat and drink. Stand in prayer, as well as, sleep. This is because your body has a right upon you, your eyes have a right upon you, your wife has a right upon you, and your guest has a right upon you [Sahih al-Bukhari, Muslim]. Abiding by the will of Allah requires that we seek and maintain a delicate balance between the various obligations that demand our attention; between our obligations to Allah, our obligations towards others and our obligations towards ourselves. Moreover, whenever the Prophet had to choose between two options, he always chose the easier, unless it was explicitly forbidden (Bukhari).
Maintaining a Joyful Disposition
Allah wants us to enjoy ourselves not only in the Hereafter but also in this world. Allah tells us in the Quran to pray for both "the good in this world and the good in the Hereafter"[2: 201].
Additionally the Quran speaks extensively about the enjoyment of life: 'O children of Adam! Wear your beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer Eat and drink but waste not by excess, for Allah loves not wasters. Say: 'who has forbidden the beautiful gifts of Allah which He has produced for His servants and the things clean and pure which He has provided for sustenance' (7:30-301). And again,
'O you who believe! Make not unlawful the good things Allah has made lawful to you. But commit no excess, for Allah does not like those given to excess. Eat of the things which Allah has provided you, lawful and good, but fear Allah, in whom you believe'(4: 86-88).
Surprising as it may seem to some of us, the Prophet not only accepted jokes; he also told them himself He was cheerful and possessed an easygoing character He was always smiling at his Companions and enjoyed their conversations. He also possessed a very keen sense of humour. But, his jokes were more of a philosophical nature, never inappropriate and always true. For example, once an old lady went to the Prophet and asked whether after her death she would enter Paradise or not. To this the Prophet replied, 'No old woman would enter heaven'. On hearing this, the woman was naturally very sad. 'Then, what is the reward for them?' she asked. The Prophet relieved her anxiety by saying, 'All old people will be made young before they enter Paradise.'
Relaxing your Mind
From the analysis above, it should be clear that Islam does not expect of any individual that he should spend all his leisure time in the mosque or at home and should listen to nothing but recitation of the Quran, or for that matter, be engaged in exclusively 'religious' pursuits. Rather, it recognises that we are human beings, so that, as we eat and drink, and also need to relax and enjoy our-selves.
Relaxation is not at odds with piety and dignity. The Prophet prayed and engaged in worship more than anyone, but he also enjoyed good things, smiled and joked. Indeed, in his prayers he would beseech Allah for the good things of this world.Relaxing the mind also has the additional benefit of resting and rejuvenating the body so that when we eventually return to fulfil out various obligations, we will be more focused and ready All ibn Abu Talib once said: 'Minds get tired, so do bodies, so treat them with humour' and 'Refresh your minds from time to time, for a tired mind becomes blind'. Another Companion of the Prophet, Abu Darda said: 'I entertain my heart with something trivial in order to make it stronger in the service of the truth'.
As we have highlighted before, the approach of the Prophet to life's activities was always a balanced one. As devoted as he was in his personal worship, he was quick to indicate to his followers that the path of Islam is the way of moderation. Thus, when he heard that one of his attendants was continuously fasting during the day and spending the entire night in prayer, he remarked: 'In every deed [of action] there is a peak followed by lassitude. He who, in his lassitude, follows my Sunnah [the part of moderation] is on the right path, but he who, in his lassitude, follows another [guidance] has [erred and] gone astray [from the straight path Allah has revealed]' (al Bazzaz)
Making Islam Easy for Others
In sharing the message of Islam with people the Prophet was advised in the Quran: 'It is part of the mercy of Allah that you deal gently with them~ If you were severe or hardhearted, they would have broken away from you' [3: 159]. Thus, when the Prophet sent his Companions Mu'adh and Abu Musa to teach Islam to the people of Yemen, he gave them the following advice: 'Facilitate [religious matters to people] and do not make [things] difficult. Obey each other and do not differ [amongst yourselves].'[Sahih al-Bukhari & Muslim]. On other occasions he also said: 'This Deen or way of life is easy'; 'Make it easy, don't make it difficult; 'Let people rejoice in being Muslims and not run away from it' and 'Cheerfulness towards other people, even a smile is a sadaqah or charity to be rewarded by Allah'. Moreover, a person-in seeking to purify himself and further develop his God-consciousness-may choose to place greater demands of worship upon himself, but this in no way means that he has the right to impose or force the same on others, and thereby, unconsciously alienate them from Islam. The Prophet exemplified this in his own life because he used to prolong the Salat whenever he was alone, but he would shorten it whenever he led others in Salah. Regarding this he said: 'Whoever among you leads the people in Salat, he should shorten it, for amongst them are the weak, the old, and the one who has business to attend to. And if anyone among you performs Salat alone, he may then prolong [Salat] as much as he wishes' [Sahih al-Bukhari].Similarly, 'Umar Ibn al Khattab emphasised that creating unnecessary difficulties for people may well have the effect of leading them away from Allah, rather than making them better Muslims. He advised: 'Do not make Allah hateful to His servants by leading people in Salat and so prolonging it that they come to hate what they are doing'
Ease versus Hardship
To say, however, that Islam is easy and not 'difficult', is not to imply that Muslims will not face 'hardship'-and here the two terms must be distinguished. Indeed, although Islam is easy to understand and practice, the whole purpose of the trial is to make manifest the degree to which an individual is steadfast (and hence sincere) in his submission to Allah- and this is precisely what is indicated by the Qur'anic verse: "And We will most certainly test you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of possessions and lives and crops" [2: 155].
Notwithstanding these trials however, we can find ease in this world and the next. But, this will be so only if we are firm in our faith in Allah and follow the course prescribed by Islam, as He Himself has declared: 'But give good news to those who are patient, who, when a calamity strikes them, say: 'Indeed we belong to God and indeed to Him we shall be returning: They are those on whom are blessings from their Sustainer, and mercy-and those, they are the rightly-guided.[2: 155-157].

The Art of Happiness
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The truth of the matter is that you cannot remove from yourself all remnants of grief. And the reason for this is that life is created as a test:"Verily, We have created man in toil." [Surah Al-Balad; 4]."That He might try you, which of you is the best in deeds."[Surah Hud; 7].But the message that I wish to convey to you is that you should, as much as possible, reduce the amount and intensity of your grief. As for being completely free from grief; this is for the inhabitants of Paradise in the Hereafter. This is why the dwellers of Paradise shall say:"All the praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has removed from us [all] grief."[Surah Fatir; 34].This is considered to be a proof that grief was not removed from them except in Paradise.So when a person knows the nature of this world and its qualities, he will find it to be dry, deceitful, and unworthy; he will come to understand that this is its nature and its description. One of Arab poets said:'You have taken an oath not to betray us in our pacts, and it is as if you have vowed that in the end, you shall deceive us.'If the description of this world is as I have described it, then it is worthy of the intelligent person not to help it in its onslaught, not to surrender to depression and anxiety. What we should do is fight and defend ourselves from all feelings that may spoil our lives, a war that we must wage with all the strength that we have been endowed with."And make ready against them all you can of power; including steeds of war to threaten the enemy of Allah and your enemy..."[Surah Al-Anfal; 60]."But they never lost heart for that which did befall them in Allah’s Way, nor did they weaken nor degrade themselves."[Surah Al-Imran; 146].A pause to reflect: Do not be sad. If you are poor, then someone else is immersed in debt. If you do not own your own means of transportation, then someone else has been deprived of his legs. If you have reason to complain concerning the pains of sickness, then someone else has been bedridden for years. And if you have lost a child, then someone else has lost many children, for instance, in a single car accident.Do not be sad. You are a Muslim who believes in Allah, His Messengers, His angels, the Hereafter, and in Preordainment - the good and the bad of it. While you are blessed with this faith, which is the greatest of blessings, others disbelieve in Allah, discredit the Messengers, differ among themselves concerning the Book, deny the Hereafter, and deviate in their understanding of Preordainment and Predestination. Do not be sad, because if you are, you disturb your soul and heart, and you prevent yourself from sleeping.One of the Arab poets said:'How often is the young man overcome with despair when afflicted, and with Allah is the way out. The situation becomes unbearable, and when its rope tightens, it snaps, and throughout, he never thought that he would be saved'
Summary of Islamic History
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From the oasis cities of Makkah and Madinah in the Arabian desert, the message of Islam went forth with electrifying speed. Within half a century of the Prophet's death, Islam had spread to three continents. Islam is not, as some imagine in the West, a religion of the sword nor did it spread primarily by means of war. It was only within Arabia, where a crude form of idolatry was rampant, that Islam was propagated by warring against those tribes which did not accept the message of God -- whereas Christians and Jews were not forced to convert.Outside of Arabia also the vast lands conquered by the Arab armies in a short period became Muslim not by force of the sword but by the appeal of the new religion. It was faith in One God and emphasis upon His Mercy that brought vast numbers of people into the fold of Islam. The new religion did not coerce people to convert. Many continued to remain Jews and Christians and to this day important communities of the followers of these faiths are found in Muslim lands.Moreover, the spread of Islam was not limited to its miraculous early expansion outside of Arabia. During later centuries the Turks embraced Islam peacefully as did a large number of the people of the Indian subcontinent and the Malay-speaking world. In Africa also, Islam has spread during the past two centuries even under the mighty power of European colonial rulers. Today Islam continues to grow not only in Africa but also in Europe and America where Muslims now comprise a notable minority.A Summary of the development of the Muslim world and the different Calipahtes within it.
The Rightly guided CaliphsUpon the death of the Prophet, Abu Bakr, the friend of the Prophet and the first adult male to embrace Islam, became caliph. Abu Bakr ruled for two years to be succeeded by 'Umar who was caliph for a decade and during whose rule Islam spread extensively east and west conquering the Persian empire, Syria and Egypt. It was 'Umar who marched on foot at the end of the Muslim army into Jerusalem and ordered the protection of Christian sites. 'Umar also established the first public treasury and a sophisticated financial administration. He established many of the basic practices of Islamic government.'Umar was succeeded by 'Uthman who ruled for some twelve years during which time the Islamic expansion continued. He is also known as the caliph who had the definitive text of the Noble Quran copied and sent to the four corners of the Islamic world. He was in turn succeeded by 'Ali who is known to this day for his eloquent sermons and letters, and also for his bravery. With his death the rule of the "rightly guided" caliphs, who hold a special place of respect in the hearts of Muslims, came to an end.



Umayyad
The Umayyad caliphate established in 661 was to last for about a century. During this time Damascus became the capital of an Islamic world which stretched from the western borders of China to southern France.
Not only did the Islamic conquests continue during this period through North Africa to Spain and France in the West and to Sind, Central Asia and Transoxiana in the East, but the basic social and legal institutions of the newly founded Islamic world were established.
AbbasidsThe Abbasids, who succeeded the Umayyads, shifted the capital to Baghdad which soon developed into an incomparable center of learning and culture as well as the administrative and political heart of a vast world.They ruled for over 500 years but gradually their power waned and they remained only symbolic rulers bestowing legitimacy upon various sultans and princes who wielded actual military power. The Abbasid caliphate was finally abolished when Hulagu, the Mongol ruler, captured Baghdad in 1258, destroying much of the city including its incomparable libraries.While the Abbasids ruled in Baghdad, a number of powerful dynasties such as the Fatimids, Ayyubids and Mamluks held power in Egypt, Syria and Palestine. The most important event in this area as far as the relation between Islam and the Western world was concerned was the series of Crusades declared by the Pope and espoused by various European kings. The purpose, although political, was outwardly to recapture the Holy Land and especially Jerusalem for Christianity.Although there was at the beginning some success and local European rule was set up in parts of Syria and Palestine, Muslims finally prevailed and in 1187 Saladin, the great Muslim leader, recaptured Jerusalem and defeated the Crusaders.



North Africa And SpainWhen the Abbasids captured Damascus, one of the Umayyad princes escaped and made the long journey from there to Spain to found Umayyad rule there, thus beginning the golden age of Islam in Spain. Cordoba was established as the capital and soon became Europe's greatest city not only in population but from the point of view of its cultural and intellectual life.The Umayyads ruled over two centuries until they weakened and were replaced by local rulers.Meanwhile in North Africa, various local dynasties held sway until two powerful Berber dynasties succeeded in uniting much of North Africa and also Spain in the 12th and 13th centuries. After them this area was ruled once again by local dynasties such as the Sharifids of Morocco who still rule in that country.As for Spain itself, Muslim power continued to wane until the last Muslim dynasty was defeated in Granada in 1492 thus bringing nearly eight hundred years of Muslim rule in Spain to an end.



After the Mangol InvasionThe Mongols devastated the eastern lands of Islam and ruled from the Sinai Desert to India for a century. But they soon converted to Islam and became known as the Il-Khanids.They were in turn succeeded by Timur and his descendents who made Samarqand their capital and ruled from 1369 to 1500. The sudden rise of Timur delayed the formation and expansion of the Ottoman empire but soon the Ottomans became the dominant power in the Islamic world.



Ottoman EmpireFrom humble origins the Turks rose to dominate over the whole of Anatolia and even parts of Europe. In 1453 Mehmet the Conqueror captured Constantinople and put an end to the Byzantine empire.The Ottomans conquered much of eastem Europe and nearly the whole of the Arab world, only Morocco and Mauritania in the West and Yemen, Hadramaut and parts of the Arabian peninsula remaining beyond their control.They reached their zenith of power with Suleyman the Magnificent whose armies reached Hungary and Austria. From the 17th century onward with the rise of Westem European powers and later Russia, the power of the Ottomans began to wane. But they nevertheless remained a force to be reckoned with until the First World War when they were defeated by the Westem nations. Soon thereafter Kamal Ataturk gained power in Turkey and abolished the six centuries of rule of the Ottomans in 1924.



PersiaWhile the Ottomans were concerned mostly with the westem front of their empire, to the east in Persia a new dynasty called the Safavids came to power in 1502.The Safavids established a powerful state of their own which flourished for over two centuries and became known for the flowering of the arts. Their capital, Isfahan, became one of the most beautiful cities with its blue tiled mosques and exquisite houses.The Afghan invasion of 1736 put an end to Safavid rule and prepared the independence of Afghanistan which occured fommally in the 19th century. Persia itself fell into tummoil until Nader Shah, the last Oriental conqueror, reunited the country and even conquered India.But the rule of the dynasty established by him was short-lived. The Zand dynasty soon took over to be overthrown by the Qajars in 1779 who made Tehran their capital and ruled until 1921 when they were in turn replaced by the Pahlavis.



IndiaAs for India, Islam entered into the land east of the Indus River peacefully. Gradually Muslims gained political power beginning in the early 13th century.But this period which marked the expansion of both Islam and Islamic culture came to an end with the conquest of much of India in 1526 by Babur, one of the Timurid princes. He established the powerful Mogul empire which produced such famous rulers as Akbar, Jahangir, and Shah Jahan and which lasted, despite the gradual rise of British power in India, until 1857 when it was officially abolished.



Malaysia And IndonesiaFarther east in the Malay world, Islam began to spread in the 12th century in northem Sumatra and soon Muslim kingdoms were establishd in Java, Sumatra and mainland Malaysia.Despite the colonization of the Malay world, Islam spread in that area covering present day Indonesia, Malaysia, the southern Phililppines and southern Thailand, and is still continuing in islands farther east.



AfricaAs far as Africa is concerned, Islam entered into East Africa at the very beginning of the Islamic period but remained confined to the coast for some time, only the Sudan and Somaliland becoming gradually both Arabized and Islamized.West Africa felt the presence of Islam through North African traders who travelled with their camel caravans south of the Sahara. By the 14th century there were already Muslim sultanates in such areas as Mali, and Timbuctu in West Africa and Harar in East Africa had become seats of Islamic leaming.Gradually Islam penetrated both inland and southward. There also appeared major charismatic figures who inspired intense resistance against European domination.The process of the Islamization of Africa did not cease during the colonial period and continues even today with the result that most Africans are now Muslims carrying on a tradition which has had practically as long a history in certain areas of sub-Saharan Africa as Islam itself.



Islam in the Western WorldIt is almost impossible to generalize about American Muslims: converts, immigrants, factory workers, doctors; all are making their own contribution to America's future. This complex community is unified by a common faith, underpinned by a countrywide network of a thousand mosques.Muslims were early arrivals in North America. By the eighteenth century there were many thousands of them, working as slaves on plantations. These early communities, cut off from their heritage and families, inevitably lost their Islamic identity as time went by. Today many Afro-American Muslims play an important role in the Islamic community.The nineteenth century, however, saw the beginnings of an influx of Arab Muslims, most of whom settled in the major industrial centers where they worshipped in hired rooms. The early twentieth century witnessed the arrival of several hundred thousand Muslims from Eastem Europe: the first Albanian mosque was opened in Maine in 1915; others soon followed, and a group of Polish Muslims opened a mosque in Brooklyn in 1928.In 1947 the Washington Islamic Center was founded during the term of President Truman, and several nationwide organizations were set up in the fifties. The same period saw the establishment of other communities whose lives were in many ways modelled after Islam. More recently, numerous members of these groups have entered the fold of Muslim orthodoxy. Today there are about five million Muslims in America.



Aftermath of the Colonial PeriodAt the height of European colonial expansion in the 19th century, most of the Islamic world was under colonial rule with the exception of a few regions such as the heart of the Ottoman empire, Persia, Afghanistan, Yemen and certain parts of Arabia. But even these areas were under foreign influence or, in the case of the Ottomans, under constant threat. After the First World War with the breakup of the Ottoman empire, a number of Arab states such as Iraq became independent, others like Jordan were created as a new entity and yet others like Palestine, Syria and Lebanon were either mandated or turned into French colonies. As for Arabia, it was at this time that Saudi Arabia became finally consolidated. As for other parts of the Islamic world, Egypt which had been ruled by the descendents of Muhammad Ali since the l9th century became more independent as a result of the fall of the Ottomans, Turkey was turned into a secular republic by Ataturk, and the Pahlavi dynasty began a new chapter in Persia where its name reverted to its eastern traditional form of Iran. But most of the rest of the Islamic world remained under colonial rule.



ArabIt was only after the Second World War and the dismemberment of the British, French, Dutch and Spanish empires that the rest of the Islamic world gained its independence. In the Arab world, Syria and Lebanon became independent at the end of the war as did Libya and the shaykdoms around the Gulf and the Arabian Sea by the 1960's. The North African countries of Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria had to fight a difficult and, in the case of Algeria, long and protracted war to gain their freedom which did not come until a decade later for Tunisia and Morocco and two decades later for Algeria. Only Palestine did not become independent but was partitioned in 1948 with the establishment of the state of Israel.



IndiaIn India Muslims participated in the freedom movement against British rule along with Hindus and when independence finally came in 1947, they were able to create their own homeland, Pakistan, which came into being for the sake of Islam and became the most populated Muslim state although many Muslims remained in India. In 1971, however, the two parts of the state broke up, East Pakistan becoming Bengladesh.



Far EastFarther east still, the Indonesians finally gained their independence from the Dutch and the Malays theirs from Britain. At first Singapore was part of Malaysia but it separated in 1963 to become an independent state. Small colonies still persisted in the area and continued to seek their independence, the kingdom of Brunei becoming independent as recently as 1984.



AfricaIn Africa also major countries with large or majority Muslim populations such as Nigeria, Senegal and Tanzania began to gain their independence in the 1950's and 1960's with the result that by the end of the decade of the 60's most parts of the Islamic world were formed into independent national states. There were, however, exceptions. The Muslim states in the Soviet Union failed to gain their autonomy or independence. The same holds true for Sinkiang (called Eastem Turkestan by Muslim geographers) while in Eritrea and the southern Philippines Muslim independence movements still continue.



National StatesWhile the world of Islam has entered into the modern world in the form of national states, continuous attempts are made to create closer cooperation within the Islamic world as a whole and to bring about greater unity. This is seen not only in the meetings of the Muslim heads of state and the establishment of the OIC (Organization of Islamic Countries) with its own secretariat, but also in the creation of institutions dealing with the whole of the Islamic world. Among the most important of these is the Muslim World League (Rabitat al-alam al-Islami ) with its headquarters in Makkah. Saudi Arabia has in fact played a pivotal role in the creation and maintenance of such organizations.



ConclusionThe Islamic world remains today a vast land stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific, with an important presence in Europe and America, animated by the teachings of Islam and seeking to assert its own identity. Despite the presence of nationalism and various secular ideologies in their midst, Muslims wish to live in the modern world but without simply imitating blindly the ways followed by the West. The Islamic world wishes to live at peace with the West as well as the East but at the same time not to be dominated by them. It wishes to devote its resources and energies to building a better life for its people on the basis of the teachings of Islam and not to squander its resources in either internal or external conflicts. It seeks finally to create better understanding with the West and to be better understood by the West. The destinies of the Islamic world and the West cannot be totally separated and therefore it is only in understanding each other better that they can serve their own people more successfully and also contribute to a better life for the whole of humanity.
Striving in worship
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The Salaf have understood the Din of Allah as well as the essence of this life and its inescapable leading to the Hereafter, so they felt aversion for the distractions and the tribulations of the world. They found no sleep and their heart kept away from desires. They kept above the insignificant concerns of life. Their biographies abound with stories that show their striving in righteousness, repentance and their strong will in worship and humbleness:Al-Hasan al-Basri said,"Whoever competes with you in the Deen then try to surpass him, and whoever competes with you in the matters of this life then throw it back at him."Whenever he missed a Salah in congregation, ibn Umar (radhiallahu anhu) used to fast one day, pray for one whole night, and free a slave.Abu Musa al Ash'ari used to apply himself so much in worship a the end of his life that he was told, "Why don't you slow down and be gentle with yourself ?" He replied, "When the horses are released for a race and are close to the finish line, they give all the strength they have. What is left of my life is less than that." He maintained the same level of devotion and worship until he died.Mawriq al-'Ajli said, "I did not find an example, for the believer in this life, better than a man on a plank in the sea, imploring, 'O Lord, O Lord' hoping that Allah will save him."Usamah said, "Whenever you see Sufyan ath-Thawri, it is as if you see someone in 'a ship fearing to drown,' one would often hear him say, 'O Lord, save me, save me!'."Fatimah bint Abdul-Malik, the wife of the Khalifah Umar ibn Abdul-Aziz said, "I have never seen a person offering salah or fasting more than he did, or a person fearing the Lord more than than him. After offering Salat ul Isha, he would sit down and cry until he becomes sleepy, then he would wake up again and continue crying until sleep overtakes him."Amir ibn Abdullah was once asked, "How can you tolerate being awake all night, and thirsty in the intense heat of the day?" He replied, "Is it anything more that postponing the food of the day to nighttime, and the sleep of the night to daytime? This is not a big matter." When the night came, he would say, "Remembrance of the heat of hellfire has taken sleepiness from me." And he would not sleep until dawn.Ahmad ibn Harb said, "I wonder how the one who knows that above him, paradise is being embellished, and below him, hell fire is being kindled, and yet sleeps between them!" Waqi' said, "Al Amash was almost seventy years old and he never missed the first takbirah (for salah in the masjid). I used to visit him frequently for more than two years and never saw him make up for even one rakah."Abu Hayan related that his father said, "Ar-Rabi' ibn Khuthaym was crippled and used to be carried to the congregational salah. So people told him, 'You have an excuse (for not coming)', he said, 'I hear 'hayee 'alas-salah', the call to salah; so if you can come to it even by crawling, do so," paraphrasing a hadith.Abul-Mawahib ibn Sarsari said concerning Imam abul-Qasim ibn Asakir, "I have never seen the like of him, and none had encompassed as many good characteristics as he did concerning his adherence to one way for forty years, making salah in the first row unless he had an excuse, i'tikaf during Ramadhan and the ten days of Thul-Hijjah, and the lack of desire to accumulate properties and build houses, as he forbade himself these. He turned away any position of imam or speaker, though they were offered to him, and he devoted himself to enjoin good and forbid evil, and he would not fear anyone in that.
What can you do in One Minute?
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A Great opportunity while we are still alive is to plan and act for tomorrow; invest one minute of your daily supply of 1440 minutes and reap benefit which no business can offer. Invest 15 minutes and multiply the rewards. We all know that Allah's promise is absolute truth and we should seek it and act according to His guidance.1. In one minute you can recite Soorat al-Fatihah 7 times, reciting rapidly and silently. Some scholars said that the reward for reading al-Fatihah is more than 1400 hasanahs, so if you read it 7 times you will, by the permission of Allah, gain more than 9800 hasanahs - all of that in one minute. 2. In one minute you can recite Soorat al-Ikhlas (Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad) 20 times, reciting rapidly and silently. Reciting it once is equivalent to one-third of the Qur'an. If you read it 20 times it is equivalent to reading the Qur'an 7 times. If you read it 20 times in one minute each day, you will have read it 600 times in one month, and 7200 times in one year, which will be equal in reward to reading the Qur'an 2400 times.3. You can read one page of the Book of Allah in one minute.4. You can memorize a short aayah of the Book of Allah in one minute.5. In one minute you can say La ilaaha ill-Allah wahdahu la sharika lah, lahu'l-mulk wa lahu'l-hamd wa huwa ala kulli shay'in qadeer (There is no god except Allah alone with no partner; to Him be dominion and praise, and He is Able to do all things) - 20 times. The reward for saying this is like freeing 8 slaves for the sake of Allah from among the sons of Isma'il.6. In one minute you can say Subhan Allahi wa bi hamdihi (Glory and praise be to Allah) 100 times. Whoever says that in one day will be forgiven for his sins even if they are like the foam of the sea.7. In one minute you can say Subhan Allahi wa bi hamdihi Subhan Allah il-Adheem (Glory and praise be to Allaah, glory be to Allah the Almighty) 50 times. These are two phrases which are light on the lips, heavy in the balance and beloved to the Most Merciful, as was narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim.8. The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: "When I say Subhan Allah, wa'l-hamdu Lillah, wa la ilah ill-Allah, wa Allahu Akbar (Glory be to Allah, praise be to Allah, there is no god except Allah, and Allah is Most Great)', this is more beloved to me than all that the sun rises upon." (Narrated by Muslim). In one minute, you can say all of these words more than 18 times. These words are the most beloved words to Allah, the best of words, and they weigh heavily in the balance of good deeds, as was narrated in the sahih ahadith.9. In one minute you can say, La hawla wa la quwwata illa Billah (there is no strength and no power except with Allah) more han 40 times. This is one of the treasures of Paradise, as was narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim. They are a means of putting up with difficulties and of aiming to achieve great things.10. In one minute you can say Laa ilaaha ill-Allah approximately 50 times. This is the greatest word, for it is the word of Tawheed, the good word, the word that stands firm. If these are the last words of a person, he will enter Paradise, and there are other reports which indicate how great these words are. 11. In one minute you can say Subhan Allah wa bi hamdih, adada khalqihi, wa rida nafsihi, wazinata arshihi, wa midada kalimatihi (Glory and praise be to Allah, as much as the number of His creation, as much as pleases Him, as much as the weight of His Throne and as much as the ink of His words) more than 15 times. This words bring many more times the reward for other forms of tasbeeh and dhikr, as was reported in sahih ahadith from the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam). 12. In one minute you can seek the forgiveness of Allah more than 100 times by saying "Astaghfir-Allah (I seek the forgiveness of Allah). The virtues of seeking forgiveness are no secret, for it is the means of attaining forgiveness and entering Paradise, and it is the means of being granted a good life, increasing one's strength, warding off disasters, making things easier, bringing rain and increasing one's wealth and children.13. You can say a few brief and concise words in one minute, and Allaah may bring about some good through them that you could never imagine.14. In one minute you can send blessings on the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) 50 times by saying SalAllahu alayhi wasalam (salAllahu alayhi wasalam). In return Allah will send blessings upon you 500 hundred times because one blessing brings ten like it. 15. In one minute you can motivate your heart to give thanks to Allah, to love Him, to fear Him, to put hope in Him, to long for Him, and thus travel through the stages of ubudiyyah (total enslavement to Allah). You could do this when you are lying on your bed or walking in the street. 16. In one minute you can read more than two pages of a useful book that is easy to understand.17. In one minute you can uphold the ties of kinship by calling a relative on the phone.18. You can raise your hands and recite any du'aa' you wish from the books of du'a, in one minute.19. You can say salaams to and shake hands with a number of people in one minute.20. You can forbid an evil action in one minute.21. You can enjoin something good in one minute.22. You can offer sincere advice to a brother in one minute.23. You can console someone who is depressed in one minute.24. You can remove something harmful from the road in one minute.25. Making the most of one minute motivates you to make the most of other periods that would otherwise be wasted.


Ihsan
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It is to worship God as though you see Him, and while you see Him not truly He sees you- Muhammad
The meaning of Ihsan is to do things in the best of ways, to perfect all acts of worship and to perform them as we were commanded to do so, whilst observing the rights of God within them. It is to be vigilant with an awareness that God is watching you. It is to have the presence of His greatness and Majesty in your heart, and in doing so to have a present heart.
Ihsan is thus a means through which, in worshipping your Lord as if you see Him, the servant is able to perfect his worship. For if you were to see you Lord before you, your performance would be to the best of your ability, with much greater care and attention being given to both your inward and your outward actions, attempting to perform them in the best of ways. As for the statement, 'if you can't see Him, then know that He sees you'. What is indicated here is that although a servant cannot see his Lord either way God, Most High, can see Him and "He is," as the Prophet has said, "in truth present in the qiblah of everyone of you."
The state of separation in which we live is due to the veils which hide Him from our sight; but even in apparent separation we are never alone or unobserved; He sees not only our every action but our every thought; He is al-Khabir, the Totally Aware, from whose all-embracing consciousness nothing is hidden.
Thus ihsan should not stop at Prayer or other ritual acts or of worship, it implies seeking perfection and striving for excellence in everything you do, allowing it to permeate your every action. It implies therefore, being always conscious of your responsibilities before God and striving hard with all resources to fulfil these obligations. It is the epitome of sincerity. For to worship God as if you saw Him is to worship Him sincerely. Thus if ihsan, 'perfection', which can also mean beauty of the soul or heart, permeates the inward, it will necessarily emanate outwards, transforming every human activity into the remembrance of God. One who acts in this fashion is described as a muhsin.
Allah has required ihsan from all his servants and in everything they do, as has been related by the Prophet (pbuh) "Allah has written ihsan in everything..." So in this hadith there is an indication as to what purifies the acts of worship and draws you closer to Allah:"Verily Allah loves the Muhsineen"[Qur'an] "Truly, Allah is with those who fear Him, and those who are Muhsinun (those who have ihsan)"[Surah An-Nahl 16:128]So if the believer does not fall short in the first, to worship your Lord as if you see Him, he should not fall short in the second as in reality both are the same."In whatever activity you may be, and whichever part of Quran you recite, and whatever deed you do [O Mankind], We are witness over you when you are deeply engrossed therein. Not an atom's weight in the earth or in the heaven escapes your Lord, nor is there anything smaller or greater, but that it is [written] in a clear Book."[Surah Yunus 10:61]
Easy Actions For Which Rewards Are Multiplied
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How great will be the regret of those who waste the opportunity!1. Preserving the ties of kinship:" Whoever wishes that his provision be increased and his age lengthened, let him maintain the ties of kinship."[Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim] 2. Performing many prayers in the two noble Harams (in Makkah and Madinah):"Prayer in this masjid of mine is superior to a thousand prayers elsewhere, except for Masjid al-Haram, and prayer in Masjid al-Haram is superior to one hundred thousand prayers elsewhere." [Ahmad and ibn Majah] 3. Performing prayers in congregation."Prayer in congregation is superior to praying individually twenty-seven times."[Sahih Al-Bukhari and Muslim] 4. Praying Isha and Fajr in congregation:"He who prays Isha' in Jama'ah [congregation] is as if he has prayed for half the night. As to him who (also) prays Fajr in congregation, it is as if he has prayed all night."[narrated by Malik and the wording is that of Muslim who also reported it] 5. Performing voluntary prayers at home."Superiority of a man's prayer in his home over his prayer when people see him is like the superiority of an obligatory prayer over a voluntary one."[al-Bayhaqi, classed as Sahih]"The most superior prayer of a person is in his home, except for obligatory prayers."[Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim] 6. Observing some manners of the day of Jumu'ah."Whoever ghassala (washes his head, and it is said: has intercourse with his wife so that it be a means to lower the gaze from the haram that day) on the day of Jumuah, then comes in the earliest time and before the first khutbah, walks and doesn't ride, stays near the Imam, listens and does not speak - for each step [he makes] he has actions of one year, the reward of fasting and standing in prayer in it."[Ahl as-Sunan] 7. Salat ul-Ishraq."Whoever prays al-ghada (i.e. al Fajr) in congregation, then sits remembering Allah until sunrise, then prays two units of prayer, has a complete reward of Hajj and Umrah [The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) repeated 'complete' three times for emphasizing][at-Tirmidhi, classed as Sahih] 8. Attending lectures in the mosque."Whoever goes to the mosque not desiring except to learn or teach what is good has the reward of a pilgrim who completed his Hajj."[at-Tabarani, classed as Sahih] 9. Performing Umrah in the month of Ramadan."Umrah in Ramadan is equal to a Hajj with me."[Sahih al-Bukhari] 10. Performing obligatory prayers in the Mosque."Whoever leaves his home in a state of purity to perform obligatory prayer, his reward is like that of a pilgrim (while) in the state of ihram [i.e. he receives reward similar to that of spending time in ihram during Hajj][Abu Dawud, classed as Sahih]So one should be in a state of purity when leaving one's home, rather than the place for ablution within the mosque, except due to necessity. 11. Being from the people of the first row in congregational prayers.Irbad bin Sariyah (radiAllahu anhu) said: "The Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) used to seek forgiveness for [the people of] the first row three times, and for [the people of the] second row once."[an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah]."Allah and His Angels make salawat upon [the people of] the first row."[Ahmad, with a good isnad] 12. Prayer in Masjid Quba' in Madinah:"Whoever purifies himself in his house then comes to Masjid Quba' and prays in it has the reward like that of Umrah."[an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah] 13. Saying what the caller to prayer says:"Say as they say [i.e. callers to prayer], and when you finish, ask and you will be given."[Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i] That is, supplicate when you finish repeating after the caller to prayer. 14. Fasting Ramadan and following it with six days of Shawwal."Whoever fasts Ramadan, then follows it with six (days) of Shawwal, it is like fasting all the time."[Muslim] 15. Fasting three days each month."Whoever fasts three days each month, it s like fasting all the time."[at-Tirmidhi].This is supported by the verse, "Whoever comes with a good deed for him is a tenfold [reward]." One day being equal to ten days. 16. Providing food for breaking of the fast:"Whoever provides food for breaking of the fast of a fasting person receives the reward of the fasting person, without the reward of the fasting person being reduced in any way."[at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah] 17. Standing in prayer on Laylatul-Qadr."Laylatul Qadr is better than a thousand months" [Qur'an 97:3], that is, superior to approximately 83 years of worship. 18. Jihad."Standing of a man in a row (saff) in the way of Allah is superior to 60 years of worship."[al-Hakim, classed as Sahih]This is the superiority of standing in a row, so what about one who fights in the way of Allah for days, or months, or years? 19. Ribaat."Whoever takes a post (at borders of Muslim lands, where an enemy may be expected) for a day and night in the way of Allah has the reward of fasting and standing in prayer for a month, and whoever dies in such a state receives a continuous reward similar to it, and is [also] rewarded with provision and saved from al-Fattaan."[Muslim]Al-Fattaan is punishment of the grave. 20. Righteous actions in the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah."There are no days in which righteous deeds are dearer to Allah than these ten [days of Dhul Hijjah]." They said, "O Messenger, even jihad in the way of Allah?" He said, "Not even jihad in the way of Allah, except for the man who leaves with his wealth, and does not return with any of it (life or wealth)."[Sahih al-Bukhari] 21. Frequent recitation of Qur'anic surahs."Qul Huw Allahu Ahad" is equal to a third of the Qur'an and "Qul ya ayyuhal Kafirun" is equal to a fourth of the Qur'an."[at-Tabarani, classed as Sahih] 22. Al-Istighfaar."Whoever seeks forgiveness for believing men and believing women, Allah will write for him a good deed for each believing man ad believing woman."[at-Tabarani, classed as Hasan] 23. Fulfilling people's needs."That I walk with my Muslim brother in [fulfilling his] need is dearer to me than being in i'tikaf in the masjid for a month."[Ibn Abi Dunya, classed as Hasan] 24. Dhikr.That I say 'Subhan'Allah, wal-Hamdu lillah, wa la ilaaha ill Allahu wAllahu Akbar' is dearer to me than what the sun has risen upon. [Muslim] " Whoever enters a market and says: 'La ilaha ill Allah wahdahu la shareeka lah, lahul mulku wa lahul Hamdu yuhyi wa yumeetu wa huwa Hayyun laa yamut, bi yadihil khayr, wahuwa ala kulli shay'in qadeer' [there is nothing worthy of worship but Allah, He is alone without partner, to Him belongs dominion and praise, he causes life and death and He is the Living and does not die. In His Hand is all the good, and He is over all things competent.]Allah will write for him a million good deeds, erase a million of his bad deeds and raise him a million levels."[at-Tirmidhi, classed as Hasan]There are many other words of rememberance which are rewarded abundandtly, as is well known. "There are two blessings which many people lose: good health and free time."[Sahih al-Bukhari]
The Best & Worst of Words
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Glory to God Most High, full of Grace and Mercy;Peace and Blessings be upon His slave Muhammad,Along with his family and companions
The Most Selfish One-Letter Word "I"Avoid It[Surah al-Kahf 18:34]The Most Satisfying Two-Letter Word"WE"Use It[Surah al-An'am 6:71-72]The Most Poisonous Three-Letter Word"EGO"Kill It[Surah al-Qasas 28:78]The Most Used Four-Letter Word"LOVE"Value It[Surah al-Rum 30:21]The Most Pleasing Five Letter Word"SMILE"Keep It[Surah al-Najm 53:43]The Fastest Spreading Six-Letter Word "RUMOUR"Ignore It[Surah al-Hujurat 49:12]The Hardest Working Seven Letter Word"SUCCESS"Achieve It[Surah al-Nur 24:37-38]The Most Enviable Eight-Letter Word "JEALOUSY"Distance It[Surah Yusuf 12:8-9]The Most Powerful Nine-Letter Word"KNOWLEDGE"Acquire It(of Allah & the Holy Qu'ran)[Surah Ya Sin 36:2][Surah Yusuf 12:2]The Most Essential Ten-Letter Word"CONFIDENCE"Trust It (Trust in Allah's Guidance)[Surah Yunus 10: 9] [Surah al-Tawbah 9:51]

25 suggestions to add to your life
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1. Start off each day with 'azkar al-istiyqaz' (waking up supplications), thanking Allah for waking up in good shape.2. Put Allah (swt) and then Prophet Mohammad (saw) before anything else in your life.3. Broaden your horizons-learn 5 New verses from the Quran, travel to pray the Fajr in the mosque to brighten your day, take up a booklet having azkar-alsaba7 (morning supplications) and read them.4. Pray Salat Al-duha (after sunrise) and also the remaining 4 obligatory salaat of the day.5. If someone says something mean to you, just shrug it off and dismiss it in a friendly, laidback manner, and pray that Allah shall forgive him or her. They will probably get the message that they're not triggering your anger and they will stop.6. When you get angry, remember Allah, and how short and worthless life is to waste in being Angry.7. Remember that you can never have too many friends, but you can have few quality friends that help you fulfil the purpose of your creation (i.e live for Allah.)8. When you're happy, try to share your happiness with others thank Allah for that, and pray its continuation.9. When something bad or embarrassing happens to you, just think that it could always be worse, remember the reward of patience, and thank Allah that it's not worse than it is.10. Do something extra of goodness once in a while, like feeding a poor person, or caressing an orphan's head.11. Never stop believing that you can win Allah's love and thus work for it. Then you can win the love of Allah's slaves.12. Spend some time thinking of Allah's amazing creation.13. Always love those who love Allah unconditionally. This way you will ensure that you live for Him, love for Him, and hate for Him (those who are enemies of Him)14. Find the righteous ways to express yourself, and if you think that what you are about to say shall cause no benefit, maintain silence (this is tough!)15. Every now and then, give yourself a break. play sports, give time to your family, friends, but always remember Allah and watch that He is watching you (Ihsan).16. Pray for blessings to come to your enemies, and pray Allah to guide them to the right path.17. Show love to your parents and always obey them (except orders that are against Islam, which they’ll never do) especially to your mother as Junnah is under the feet of your mother.18. Smile to everyone, to all brothers and sisters, for your smile makes a big difference to them and you are rewarded.19. Forgive, forget and smile.20. Tears are not for women only... tears are for all human beings with feelings remaining in them. Don't restrain your tears when remembering Allah.21. When people criticize your actions and effort, revise your actions and see if they please Allah or not. If they do, then ignore those criticism and remember how the Prophet(s) and the Sahaba (ra) were criticized, made fun of and even physically harmed, so have patience.22. Read the Quran daily and try to have a schedule for completing it every month (or as much as you could) as long as you open the Quran daily, and read with observing, try to understand and traansform them into action, not just passing your eyes through the words.23. Don't let popularity go to your head, for it never lasts and you may lose from it more than gain.24. Never look down on anybody, for they may be better than you in Allah's eyes.25. After praying the salaatul Isha and before going to bed ask yourself whether you have gained some points for the day or are you loosing. Make repentance for things you have done wrong and think of ways to improve yourself in the following day.

Islamic Terms
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Islamic Terms
Allah The Supreme Being. The name of God.
Hadith The sacred sayings of Muhammad, handed down by oral tradition and finally written down.
Hajj Pilgrimage to Mecca. One of the five pillars of the Islamic faith.
Hijrah Muhammad's flight from Mecca to Medina in 622 A.D.
Islam "submission to the will of Allah"
Koran (Qur'an) The inspired word of God given to Muhammad by the angel Gabriel.
Makkah The birthplace of Muhammad, and the holy city of Islam.
Medina Holy city named for Muhammad after he fled there in 622 A.D.
Muhammad Prophet and founder of Islam. Born around 570 A.D., died 632 A.D.
Muslim Followers of Muhammad. It literally means one who submits to the will of Allah.
Mosque Islamic place of worship.
Muezzlin Muslim caller who announces the hour of prayer.
Peace Be Upon Him An expression used by Muslims to show respect and reverence to all prophets of Allah. Muslims usually say it just after mentioning the name of Prophets.
Ramadan The ninth and one of the most sacred month of the Muslim year. It is the month in which Holy Quran was revealed to prophet Muhammad. It is now considered as a month of fasting.
Salat Muslim daily prayer ritual. One of the five pillars of Islam.
Shi'ites Muslim sect which insists that Muhammad's son-in-law 'Ali was Muhammad's rightful successor.
Sufi A Muslim mystic and/or ascetic.
Sunnites Largest Muslim sect which acknowledges all of Muhammad's successors.
Surahs What the chapters of the Qur'an are called.


Medical Science in Islam
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The Discovery of the Human Genome:Its Implications for the Muslim Community"Allah created you from dust, then from a little fluid, then He made you pairs (the male and female). No female beareth or bringeth forth save with His knowledge. And no one groweth old who groweth old, nor is aught lessened of his life, but it is recorded in a Book. Lo! That is easy for Allah" (35:11).According to an article in the January 15, 2001 issue of Time magazine, science has now discovered exactly what that "book" is. It is the human genome (the third level down from a chromosome), which has scientists racing to be the first to unravel the code to curing the diseases of mankind.However, this race largely ignores the fact men are not only created of genome, but also of spirit and the will of Allah. Man is not simply a slave to his genome, but has will over it (through the power of prayer and positive thinking).Genome researchers are hoping to take over the field in which pharmacists, herbalists, and natural health practitioners have been working side by side for years. They are calling the medicines we have today "inefficient," and stating their intention to replace now "outdated" methods of treating and curing illnesses.Time magazine says, "When the human genome was sequenced last year, scientists finally gained access to the full text of God's reference manual: the three billion biochemical letters that spell out tens of thousands of genes. These genes, strung out along the 46 chromosomes in virtually every human cell, carry the instructions for making all the tissues, organs, hormones and enzymes in our body."Furthermore, scientists have decided to "read" this book. A newly designed computer, fittingly called "Zeus" (an ancient Greek pagan god), has been engaged to help scientists decode the mysteries of the genome. Of course, discovering its secrets has many implications, but medical scientists have their eyes set first on the possibility of making better pharmaceuticals.Calling modern pharmaceuticals "woefully inefficient" and stating that we've "beaten those (drug targets) to death", Francis Collins, director of the National Institute of Health's Human Genome Researching Institute, throws modern pharmaceuticals out in one sentence and cleverly sets the stage for his company to step in and fill the gap. Time dutifully takes on the role of Collins' advertising manager by writing, "Until now doctors have not really been fighting illnesses like cancer, stroke and heart disease. Instead they have been intervening at the level of symptoms - the last visible step in a complex cascade of biochemical events." Further on, they describe modern pharmaceuticals in an even less flattering light, "Drugs are molecular saboteurs." Writer Unmesh Kher states, "They exert their curative effects by gumming up the works of key proteins in the body. The compounds with the fewest side effects are the ones that drop their monkey wrenches selectively, slotting seamlessly into grooves."Muslim natural healing, however, has worked for hundreds of years on the premise that, "Allah never inflicts a disease unless he makes a cure for it..." (Hadith) and that "Allah, He is the Truth. Lo! He quickeneth the dead, and lo! He is Able to do all things (Qur'an, 22:5)." Following the example of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), Muslim healers have largely relied on "God's pharmacy" with the confidence that Allah created man and prepared the perfect medicines for the cure of any illnesses that might inflict him. Until now, even modern pharmaceuticals have been an attempt to synthesize and improve upon this natural pharmacy by copying substances found in natural cures.Muslim natural healers, as well as many medical doctors, have also recognized that Allah gave man some power over his body and an ability to heal through prayer and will. The Qur'an (32:9) states, "Then He fashioned him and breathed into him of His spirit; and appointed for you hearing and sight and hearts. Small thanks give ye!"Again, the Qur'an states, "For any disease, there is a cure, and when the cure matches the disease, the person recovers by the will of Allah." This invalidates any claims that scientists have to be the sole manipulators in the curing of disease.It is not only within the Qur'an that "alternative forms of healing" are given credit. Entire books, or significant portions of others, have been written on the metaphysical and spiritual causes of disease. They provide numerous examples of how disease can be caused by a lack of spirituality, or by trauma or negative thoughts, and of how prayer, positive thinking, and/or therapy to resolve old issues have subsequently cured it. Such books include: Your Health...Your Choice by Dr. Ted Morter, The Mozart Effect by Don Campbell, Reinventing Medicine by Larry Dossey, MD and hundreds more.The first findings by the computer Zeus confirm this truth. After testing hundreds of thousands of gene structures for the protein receptor responsible for breast cancer, scientists narrowed the field down to a few that were present in 80% of breast cancer patients. They could not account for the other 20% of the patients. Also, no account was taken of any other diseases patients may have had or of how long they had been treated for breast cancer, or if the disease itself had anything to do with lab results.Scientists hope to take these tests further and eventually corner the gene responsible for all cancers, including prostate and colon cancer so that someday, "Doctors will treat diseases like cancer and diabetes before symptoms even begin."The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) also taught that one should try to prevent diseases instead of "just curing them" when he said that, "An ounce of prevention is better than a ton of treatment." He prescribed many methods of prevention for Muslims including fasting in Ramadan, prayer, and moderate eating and living habits. Allah's Messenger (SAW) said, "The stomach is the central basin of the body, and the veins are connected to it. When the stomach is healthy, it passes on its condition to the veins, and in turn the veins will circulate the same; when the stomach is putrescent, the veins will absorb such putrescence and issue the same."With the new possibilities for drugs, however, doctors are proposing that we can bypass all of these spiritually and physically challenging methods of prevention by simply targeting diseases before they start with new medicines that are "smarter" (than the diseases themselves). As Muslims we need to keep an eye on this new area of genome research where scientists claim to have "God's code" to our genetic makeup and are attempting to create "computer gods.


What is ISLAM?
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(A) RELIGION OF UNITY
(1) Unity of GodIslam teaches the purest form of Monotheism and regards polytheism as the deadliest sin. A Muslim addresses GOD by His Personal Name: ALLAH --- the word "god" and its equivalents in other languages being unstable in the matter of connotation. Allah, according to Islam, is the One God, who is Indivisible in Person and Who has no partner: wife, son or daughter. He is the Matchless and "naught is as His likeness". "He begetteth not, nor was He begotten". He is the First, the Last, the Eternal, the Infinite, the Almighty, the Omniscient, the Omnipresent. He is the Creator, the Nourisher, the Cherisher of all things. He is the All-just, the Avenger of the wrongs done to the weak and the oppressed, the Compassionate, the Merciful and Loving, the Guide, the Friend, the Magnificent, the Glorious, the Beautiful and the True. In short, He is the Possessor of all Excellence.
Speaking of the conception of God in Islam, Gibbon, the famous western historian, says: "The Creed of Hazrat Muhammad is free from the suspicion of Ambiguity and the Qur’an is a glorious testimony to the unity of God. The Prophet of Mecca rejected the worship of idols and men, of stars and planets, on the rational principle that whatever is corruptible must decay and perish, that whatever is born must die, that whatever rises must set. In the Author of the universe his rational enthusiasm confessed and adored an infinite and Eternal Being, without form or place, without issue or similitude, present to our secret thoughts, existing by the necessity of His own nature, and deriving from Himself all moral and intellectual perfections. These sublime truths …are defined with metaphysical precision by the interpreters of the Qur’an. A philosophic theist might subscribe to the popular creed of the Muhammadans."
(2) Unity of the UniverseFrom the Unity of the Creator, according to Islam, proceeds the Unity of the Universe, i.e., Unity of Creation and Unity of Purpose. In other words, the Cosmos is a Moral Order.
(3) Unity of MankindIslam regards the whole of mankind as an "organic unity" --- a single family, and emphatically says that the distinctions on the mundane plane, the distinctions, namely, of race, colour, language or territory, cannot form the ground for claims of superiority of one group over the other. The only distinction that has "value" is that which arises at the moral and spiritual planes – namely, the distinction of "taqwa", or, "piety and righteousness".Prof. H.A.R. Gibb, the famous English critic of Islam says, "…..Islam…..possesses a magnificent tradition of inter-racial understanding and co-operation. No other society has such a record of success in uniting in an equality of status, of opportunity and of endeavour so many and so various races of mankind… If ever the opposition of the great societies of East is to be replaced by co-operation, the mediation of Islam is an indispensable condition." (Whither Islam? p.379).
(4) Unity of ReligionAccording to Islam, the human intellect, though a great and powerful asset, has its natural limits, and, therefore, neither the normative nor the empirical sciences are capable of leading humanity to a sure knowledge of ultimate truths and the code of life based upon them. The only source of sure knowledge open to humanity is, consequently, Divine Guidance, and that course has been actually open ever since the beginnings of human life on earth. Allah raised His "Prophets" and "Messengers" and revealed His Guidance to them for transmission to humanity. Coming from the same Source, all revealed religions have, therefore, been one, i.e., ISLAM.
Allah's Prophets and Messengers continued to come to every country and community to work in their respective limited fields. Time after time, the revealed Guidance was either lost or corrupted through human interpolation, and new Prophets with fresh Dispensations were sent, and humanity continued to advance from infancy to maturity. At last, when the stage of maturity was reached – when humanity was practically to become one family --- instead of sectional Guidance, a perfect, final and abiding Revelation, addressed to entire mankind and for all time, was granted in the seventh century of the Christian era. That Revelation, which recapitulates all former Revelations and thus sets a seal on the Unity of Religion, is ISLAM; the Scripture which enshrines it is the HOLY QUR’AN; and the Prophet who brought it is the Leader of Humanity, Hazrat Muhammad (Allah bless him!).Thus all the Prophets of God, from Adam down to Hazrat Noah, Hazrat Abraham, Hazrat Moses and Hazrat Jesus (peace be upon them all), are the Prophets of a Muslim the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him!) being the Last and Final one, and all the Divine Scriptures are the Scriptures of a Muslim, though he follows only the Holy Qur’an because it alone exists in its original purity and it alone contains the religion of Islam which has been followed by all rightly-guided people since the day the first human being came into existence.
(5) Unity of SexesDifferentiation of functions have misled certain cultures of the world to regard woman as a being who belongs, so to say, to a different and inferior species: and to meet out to her inhuman treatment accordingly. Islam emphatically repudiates that notion and teaches that both man and woman have sprung from the same essence and the same source and consequently possess the same human status. Their functions and interests, instead of being antagonistic, are meant to be mplementary. The natural relation between the sexes, in all its aspects, is therefore, that of love and harmony, without which no true human progress can be possible.
(6) Unity of ClassesIslam aims at the creation of a classless society by eliminating all possible social conflicts (through revolving the different interests).In the sphere of economics, Islam lays down the principle that wealth should not be allowed to circulate among the wealthy only, and envisages, through its laws and institutions, a "Cooperative Common-wealth of Talents".
In the political sphere, Islam stands for the "Cooperative Commonwealth of the Pursuers of Righteousness".Taken as a whole, the Islamic state is a "welfare state" where sovereignty belongs to Allah alone and no human being has a right to govern other human beings except in the name of Allah and according to His Will, and where nobody, not even the Head of the State, is above the law. Absolute Justice is the watchword and the Establishment of Righteousness is the goal.
The merits of Islam’s social ethics have elicited praise even from the otherwise hostile critics. For instance:H.G. Wells says: "Islam created a society more free from widespread cruelty and social oppression than any society that had ever been in the world before" (Outline of History, p.325).
H.A.R. Gibb says: "Within the Western world Islam still maintains the balance between exaggerated opposities. Opposed equally to the anarchy of European nationalism and the regimentation of Russian communism, it has not yet succumbed to that obsession with the economic side of life which is characteristic of present-day Russia alike." (Whither Islam? p.378).
Prof. Louis Massignon says: "Islam has the merit of standing for a very equalitarian conception… It occupies an intermediate position between the doctrines of bourgeois capitalism and Bolshevist communism." (Whither Islam? p.378).
(7) Unity of Human ActivityIslam conceives of the human personality as a "unity" and consequently regards the distinction of "secular" and "religious" as unscientific, irrational and absurd. The life of a Muslim, both in its individual and social manifestation, is a life lived for God and God alone.
"Islam," says Dudley Wright, scholar of Comparative Religion, "is no mere creed; it is a life to be lived. In the Qur’an may be found directions for what are sometimes termed the minor details of daily life, but which are not minor when it is considered that life has to be lived for God. The Muslim lives for God alone. The aim of the Muslim is to become God-bound, and to endeavour to advance the knowledge of God in all his undertakings. From the cradle to the grave the true Muslim lives for God and God alone."
(B)RELIGION OF "SUBMISSION TO THE DIVINE WILL"The word "Islam" means "submission" and, as a religious term, it connotes "submission to the Divine Will and Commands". As such, ISLAM is co-extensive with NATURE. For, everything in Nature submits to the Divine Will without demur. The only exception is man. He has to choose "Islam" through his free will and thus to attain his destiny by falling in line with the rest of God’s Creation.
Goethe, the renowned poet-philosopher of Germany, says:"Naerrisch, dass jeder in seinem Falle Seine besomdere Meinung priest! Whenn Islam Gott ergeben heisst, Im Islam leben und sterben wir alle" viz:"It is lack of understanding that everyone praises own special opinion;(for) Islam means submission to God and in Islam we all live and die."
(C) RELIGION OF NATUREThe above statement brings out, and the Holy Qur’an emphasises in clear terms, that to be a Muslim is to live and grow in accordance with true human nature and in harmony with the Nature around. Islam, thus, means conformity to the Natural Law.
(D) RELIGION OF DISCIPLINEThe concepts of Submission to the Divine Will and Conformity to the Natural Law, when actively realized in human life, give rise to the healthiest form of ISCIPLINE and Islam is the religion of Discipline par excellence.
In his famous book; First and Last Things, H.G. Wells says:"The aggression, discipline and submission of Muhammadanism makes, I think,… fine and honourable religion for men. Its spirit, if not its formulae is abundantly present in our modern world... I have no doubt that in devotion to a virile… Deity and to the service of His Empire of stern Law and Order, efficiently upheld, men have found and will find salvation."The German Orientalist Friedrich Delitzsch admits that the Muslim shows "owing to his religious surrender to the Will of God an exemplary patience under misfortune and he bears up under disastrous accidents with an admirable strength of mind." (Die Welt des Islam, p.28).
(E)RELIGION OF TRUTHThe concept of "Truth" forms the keynote of Islamic ideology and pervades the entire universal order presented by Islam. Not only is "truthfulness" a fundamental value in the elaborate Islamic Moral Code – a value which forms the foundation-stone of Muslim character, but God Himself has been mentioned in the Holy Qur’an as "The Truth", or "the True", the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (God bless him!) as the "Bearer of Truth", the Qur’an itself as "the Truth", and the abode of the righteous after death as the "Seat of Truth".
(F) RELIGION OF TEMPERANCEIslam is the religion of Purity and Temperance par excellence. It stresses purity not only of the mind and the heart, which certain other religions also stress, but also of the body, its fundamental principle being the harmonious development of human personality. Consequently; it strictly prohibits the use of all drinks and foods which might be unhealthy and injurious to the body, or the mind or both. Thus its prohibitive injunctions cover not only all the intoxicants, e.g., wine, opium, etc., but also those foods which are harmful to healthy human growth. Ultimately, Islamic Temperance covers all evil thoughts, feelings and deeds.
(G)RELIGION OF BEAUTYUnlike certain religions, Islam is not the religion of contempt for the world, of the negation of any fundamental value. It is positively and definitely a religion of fulfilment – fulfilment of all the faculties and positive capabilities with which God has endowed man. Aesthetic culture, therefore, forms part of Islamic life – of course, governed and controlled by Islam’s moral and spiritual principles. In Islam the concept of "Beauty" permeates the entire human activity – nay, the whole cosmic order, "Allah," says the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (peace be with him!), "is Beautiful and loves what is beautiful." Beauty in thought, words and deed, and beauty in all creative activity is the Islamic ideal.Islam permits the creation of Art, within the limitations of its spiritual and moral framework. But its motto is not "Art for the sake of Art" but "Art for the sake of Life", whereby alone a true blending of spiritual, moral and physical beauty – the rational and harmonious goal of human life – is achievable.
(H) RELIGION OF REASONIslam regards Reason as man’s distinctive privilege and God’s noble gift, and the Holy Qur’an has repeatedly exhorted mankind to employ Reason in the matters of social and natural phenomena and in understanding its Message and practicing its Guidance, thus giving to "personal judgment," its due place in the life of a Muslim."Intellectual Culture" in general, forms one of the noblest pursuits of human life in Islam and the acquisition and cultivation of knowledge has been made obligatory upon every Muslim man and woman.
(I) RELIGION OF THE NEGATION OF SUPERSTITIONIslam is a positively rational religion and stands opposed to the mystery cults and religions of mysterious dogmas whose acceptance is generally claimed on the basis of blind faith.
Speaking of the negation of superstition and the affirmation of Reason in Islam, Godfrey Higgins says: "No relic, no image, no picture, no mother of God disgrace his (Hazrat Muhammad’s) religion. No such doctrines as the efficacy of faith without works, or that of a death-bed repentance, plenary indulgences, absolution or auricular confession, operate first to corrupt, then to deliver up his followers into the power of a priesthood, which would of course be always more corrupt and more degraded than themselves. No indeed! The adoration of one God, without mother, or mystery, or pretended miracle, and the acknowledgement that he, a man, was sent to preach the duty of offering adoration to the Creator alone, constituted the simple doctrinal part of the religion of the Unitarian of Arabia." (Apology for Hazrat Muhammad).
(J) RELIGION OF ACTIONIslam stands in sharp contrast with those religions which interpret the Salvation of man in terms of the acceptance of certain intricate and inexplicable formulae. Simplicity is its watch-word and rationality its lifeblood, and as such it gives to both "Faith" and "Action" their due place. Wherever the Holy Qur’an mentions the problem of human salvation, it bases it on "right belief" as well as "righteous action", emphasizing the former as the ground and the latter as the sequence.
(K) RELIGION OF BALANCED PROGRESSIslamic life is a life of the attainment of "Falah" which means, "The furrowing out of latent faculties". A Muslim, therefore, has to continuously strive for progress…. a progress controlled by righteousness and illumined by Divine Guidance, a progress grounded in spirituality, a progress balanced and comprehending all aspects of human life: spiritual, mental, moral, aesthetic and physical.Paying tribute to the balanced character of Islam and the progress which it inspires, the famous Orientalist Prof. H. A. R. Gibb says:"Within the Western world, Islam still maintains the balance between exaggerated opposites...For the fullest development of its cultural life, particularly of its spiritual life, Europe cannot do without the forces and capacities which lie within Islamic society." (Whither Islam? p.378).
(L) RELIGION OF SCIENTIFIC QUESTWhile other religions may feel shy of science Islam has made the scientific quest a religious obligation. The aims of that quest, however, are not the unbalanced indulgence in physical pleasures and the tyrannisation over fellowbeings, but the advancement in the love of God through progress in the knowledge of His works and the service of humanity through the acquisition of control over the "forces of nature".
Speaking of the role of Islam as the inaugurator of the modern scientific era, Briffault, the reputed scholar of the history of civilisation, says:…although there is not a single aspect of European growth in which the decisive influence of Islamic culture is not traceable, nowhere is it so clear and momentous as in the genesis of that power which constitutes the permanent distinctive force of the modern world and the supreme source of its victory – natural science and the scientific spirit … The debt of our science to that of the Arabs does not consist in startling discoveries of revolutionary theories; science owes a great deal more to Arab culture, it owes its existence. The ancient world was, as we saw, pre-scientific. The Astronomy and Mathematics of the Greeks were a foreign importation never thoroughly acclimatised in Greek culture. The Greeks systematised, generalised and theorised; but the patient ways of investigation, the accumulation of positive knowledge, the minute methods of science, detailed and prolonged observation and experimental inquiry were altogether alien to Greek temperament... What we call science arose in Europe as the result of a new spirit of inquiry, of new methods of investigation, of the method of experiment, observation, measurement, of the development of Mathematics in a form unknown to the Greeks. That spirit and those methods were introduced into the European world by the Arabs… Neither Roger Bacon nor his later namesake has any title to be credited with having introduced the experimental method. Roger Bacon was no more than one of the apostles of Muslim science and method to Christian Europe; and he was never wearied of declaring that knowledge of Arabic and Arab Science was for his contemporaries the only way to true knowledge. Discussions as to who was the originator of the experimental method…are part of the colossal misrepresentation of the origins of European civilisation. The experimental method of the Arabs was by Bacon’s time widespread and eagerly cultivated throughout Europe … Science is the most momentous contribution of Arab civilisation to the modern world….. It was not science only which brought Europe back to life. Other and manifold influences from the civilisation of Islam communicated its first glow to European life. "(Making of Humanity, pp 190-202).H.G. Wells, another great Western authority, had to admit that: "Through the Arabs it was, and not by the Latin route, that the modern world received that gift of light and power (i.e., the Scientific Method)."
Because of its deep-rooted hostility to Islam, implanted during the Middle Ages, the West has been very slow in acknowledging the merits of Islam. Admissions and confessions have, however, been gradually coming forth grudgingly or ungrudgingly. Thus, as we have seen above, it has been admitted that the Muslims gave to the West the Scientific Method as well as the scientific inspiration. But the Muslims themselves received them from the Holy Qur’an. This fact has also been admitted at last. For instance, Stanislas Guyard observes: "In the seventh century of our era, the Old World was in agony. The Arabian conquest infused into it new blood … Hazrat Muhammad gave them (the Arabs) the Qur’an, which was the starting point of new culture. " (Encyclopedia des Sciences Religieuses, Tome IX,p. 501). Challenging the adversaries of Islam and referring to the Holy Qur’an, Dr. A Bertherand says: "Let them read and meditate on this great Book: they will find in it, at every passage, constant attack on idolatry and materialism; they will read that the Prophet incessantly called the attention and the mediation of his people to the splendid marvels, to the mysterious phenomena of creation… those who have followed its counsels have been, as we have described in the course of this study, the creators of a civilisation which is astounding to this day." (Contribution des Arabs auprogres des Sciences Medicales, p. 6).Emmanuel Deutsch oberves: "By the aid of the Qur’an the Arabs…came to Europe to hold up the light to humanity, they alone, while darkness lay around,…to teach philosophy, medicine, astronomy and the golden art of song to the West as to the East, to stand at the cradle of modern science, and to cause us late epigoni for ever to weep over the day when Granada fell."
(M) RELIGION OF THE SANCTITY OF LABOURIn Islam, all honest labour is sacred and forms the life-blood of human progress. "For man is naught but what he strives for," says the Holy Qur’an, and "the labourer is the beloved of God," says the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (God bless him!). Thus "idleness" is a sin and "industry" is a virtue in Islam.
(N) RELIGION OF THE HIGHEST IDEALISM IN ETHICSIslam lays the foundation of ethics on "submission to the Divine will" and gives to humanity the ethical ideal of imitating the Divine Attributes, even as we have been exhorted by the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (God bless him!) who says: "Imbue yourselves with Divine Attributes."
"The highest form of religious ethic," observes Sir Richard Gregory, "is that in which the aim of conduct is complete and implicit obedience to what is conceived to be the Will of God …(this obedience) may become a joyous and spontaneous acceptance of a mode of life, such as it is conceived would be consonant with the nature of God, subject to such limitations of the flesh as are ineradicable – the ideal of saintliness. Hence arises the desire for uprightness as end-in-itself; either with a view to reward, if not in this world, in the next, or pursued selflessly for its own sake. This concept of religious ethic has led to the highest idealism in human conduct." (Religion in Science and Civilisation, p. 63).
(O) RELIGION OF PEACE AND GOODWILLThe world "Salam", which means "peace", has close root-affinity with the word "Islam". Thus the concept of PEACE forms an integral part of the world ISLAM itself. Indeed, this concept permeates the Islamic religion through and through. For, God, according to the Holy Qur’an, is As-Salam, i.e. (the Source of) peace"; a Muslim’s Salutation, which embodies the ideal of Muslim life, is As-Salam-o -alaikum, i.e., "Peace be unto you"; and the abode of the righteous, towards which the Holy Qur’an invites humanity, is Dar-us-Salam, i.e., "the Abode of Peace".One of the ideals of Muslim life, therefore, is the attainment of peace on all fronts --- peace with self through harmonious self-realisation, peace with fellow creatures through the maintenance of the basic attitude of Goodwill, and peace with God through submission to the Divine Will.
(P) RELIGION OF STRUGGLE (JIHAD)The Islamic concept of Peace is not, however, utopian, For, Islam is a practical religion par excellence –a religion of Struggle (Jihad) --- and does not, therefore, prescribe any course of action which is unnatural or impracticable. Thus, for instance, in international relations, although basically committed to the promotion of Peace and Goodwill, Islam does allow the participation of Muslims in war when it becomes morally inevitable – when no other course remains open for safeguarding justice, nay, peace itself.The word "Jihad", which has been maligned much by the evil-minded misrepresenters of Islam in connection with the wars of Islamic history, means "struggle" and, according to Islam, it is of two kinds: (1) Struggle for subjugating one’s lower self to the higher self. This is the higher form of "Jihad" and its function is purely spiritual: (2) Struggle for defeating the forces of evil on the collective plane. This is the collective Jihad.The collective Jihad may, again, be either of a peaceful character, namely, propagation of Islam and its establishment in the collective life of the people through preaching and reform, or it may be in the form of war against an aggressor.
The Islamic permission of war is basically for defensive purposes. And not only does Islam rule out all immoral impulses to war but it also lays down a rigid ethics which in its sublimity and humanness surpasses all other ethics of war which humanity has ever known.
Says O. Houdas: " … The Qur’an states: ‘And fight for the cause of God against those who fight against you; but commit not the injustice of attacking them first; verily God loveth not the unjust’ – S.II 190…… Jihad had to be waged to defend Islam against aggression… Once the war was terminated, the Muslims always displayed a great tolerance towards the conquered peoples, leaving them their legislation and religious beliefs." (La Grande Encyclopaedia, Tome 20,p. 1006)."In their wars of conquest," says E. Alexander Powell, "the Muslims exhibited a degree of toleration which put many Christian nations to shame." (The Struggle for Power in Moslem Asia, p. 48).
(Q) RELIGION OF "NO COMPULSION IN CONVERSION"As regards forcible proselytisation, it has been explicitly banned by Islam with the Qur’anic declaration: "there is no compulsion in matters of faith", and the propaganda that Muslims went out into the world with the sword in one hand and the Qur’an in the other to convert the non-Muslims forcibly is a pure fabrication. Indeed, it is so utterly unfounded that even an enemy of Islam like Rev. Dr. O’Leary had to admit:"History makes it clear that the legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of sword upon conquered races, is one of the most absurd myths that the historians have ever repeated". (Islam at the Croos-Roads, page 8).
(R) RELIGION OF BROTHERHOODIslam inculcates the love of God’s creation in general and of the human family, in particular. "The best of you is he who is best to God’s family (i.e., humanity)," says the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (God bless him!) Islam regards humanity as ‘one Fraternity inside which it affirms the existence of the "Islamic Brotherhood", wherein all distinctions of caste and tribe, race and colour, language and territory are superseded and obliterated, and which has been allotted the function of acting as the servant of, and the torch-bearer of Divine Guidance for, the larger Human Brotherhood.Side by side with the code of conduct meant to be observed within the circle of Islamic Brotherhood Islam also gives a definite code of Human Love which relates to the dealings of Muslims with the larger human society.
"The brotherhood of Muhammadanism," says Dr. Leither, "is no mere word. All believers are equal and their own high-priest." (Muhammadanism. P.18).The Dutch Orientalist Snouck Hurgronje observes: "The ideal of a League of Human Races has been approached by Islam more nearly than by any other ideology; for the League of nations founded on Hazrat Muhammad’s religion takes the principle of the equality of all human race so seriously as to put other communities to shame." (Muslim World Today).
(S) RELIGION OF SPIRITUAL DEMOCRAYIn the sphere of worship, Islam stands for the establishment of direct relation between God and human being without the mediation of any priest. Every Muslim man and woman is, therefore, his or her own priest or priestess.
It is wrong to regard the scholars (Ulama) or the leaders (Imams) of congregational prayers in the mosques as priests. Any good Muslim who knows Islam can lead the prayers, while the ‘Ulama’ are simply scholars and experts of Islamic knowledge and merely fulfil a responsibility which rests on the shoulders of the entire Islamic Brotherhood. For, Islam wants every Muslim man and woman to be a scholar of its teachings, unlike, for instance, Hinduism, where those belonging to the caste of Brahmins alone possess this privilege.Rev.W.Wilson Cash, the famous Christian missionary and hostile critic of Islam, had to confess: "Islam endowed its people with a dignity peculiarly its own… Direct access to God makes one of the strong appeals of Islam" (The Expansion of Islam p. 177).
(T) RELIGION OF HUMAN DIGNITYProblem of SlaveryBy emphasizing freedom as the birthright of all human beings, by proclaiming human equality without distinctions of caste, colour or clime, by denying the sin-innate theory and all other theories of the evil origin of mankind by affirming that the progeny of Adam is the noblest creation of God, by raising humanity to the status of the Vicegerency of God on earth, by making imitation of the Divine Attributes the ethical ideal of mankind, and by pointing out the conquest of the universe as the human destiny, Islam has established human dignity on the loftiest pinnacle conceivable.
Humanity was suffering in various ways because of the wrong notions held by pre-Islamic cultures and religions about human dignity, when Islam appeared. Cruelty was being perpetrated in the name of caste, tribe and race, large masses of humanity had been reduced to the status of serfs, and slavery, which had been an age-old institution, was being practiced by various races and peoples of Europe and Asia, including the Arabs, with the sanction of such scriptures as the Bible and without the least moral compunction. Islam raised its masculine voice of protest against all those evils and gave to the world a philosophy and a legislation which has made it the saviour of the downtrodden and the oppressed for all time.
Among the many misconceptions spread about Islam by its enemies, one is that which relates to slavery. For a proper appreciation of the role of Islam in the abolition of slavery, the reader is referred to the present writer’s "Islam and Slavery." Here, in this brief brochure, we might confine ourselves to the brief statement of a fair-minded non-Muslim scholar of the last century, who said: "His (i.e., Hazrat Muhammad’s) law of slavery is, ‘If slaves come to you, you shall’ --- not imprison and then sell by public sale, though no claimant appears, as in the nineteenth century is the law of Christian England in her provinces, but, --- ‘redeem them, and it is forbidden to you to send them forth’ (Qur’an II, p.85). And this was a man standing up in the wilds of Arabia in the seventh century." (Westminster Review no. IX, p. 221).Even the hostile and biased Dutch critic of Islam, Prof. Snouck Hurgronje, had to say: "According to the Muhammadan principle, slavery is an institution destined to disappear."
(U) RELIGION OF RATIONAL SEX MORALITY
Problem of polygamyThe Islamic view of the fundamental equality of sexes has been already stated in the section on "Religion of Unity" and an impartial historical appreciation of the problem proves beyond all doubt that it was "Islam which removed the bondage in which women were held from the very dawn of human history and gave them a social standing and legal rights such as were not granted them in England till many centuries later." (Lady Evelyn Cobbold, in "Pilgrimage to Mecca"). But the widespread propaganda of the enemies of Islam in connection with polygamy necessitates a specific statement in that connection.
In the first instance, polygamy was not invented by Islam, nor was it made in any way obligatory. It had existed in pre-Islamic societies since time immemorial with the sanction of religion and had been practiced even by those who were accepted as holy personages as for instance, we find in the Old Testament. There it was governed by no law whatsoever, and so also it was in the Arabian society at the advent of Islam. What Islam did was to regulate it and to subject it to such severe restrictions as to make it prohibitive except in cases of emergency. Indeed, monogamy has been the ideal and polygamy only an exception in Muslim Society. This fact is fully borne out by the present as well as the past history of the Muslims and has been admitted by all fair-minded critics of Islam. For instance, William Kelly Wright says: "Most Mohammedans in all ages have had only one wife." (Philosophy of Religion, New York, 1935).
Islam is a natural religion and it takes a very serious view of sexual vices and social ills. Consequently, it was very natural for Islam to permit limited and restricted polygamy for the maintenance of social health in all those situations where it is the only natural remedy. For instance, when war alters the natural sex ratio, giving to women preponderance over men, there are only two alternatives, namely, widespread prostitution or polygamy. Islam prefers the latter to the former in the interests of moral health and social wellbeing of womanhood. Similarly, if the first wife is sterile or suffers from any incurable disease, there are only two possible alternatives, namely, either the first wife should be divorced and a fresh wife taken or she may continue in her status undisturbed along with a second wife. The former course would mean distressing, spinsterhood for the first wife while the latter course would provide to her an honourable normal life without temptation to evil. Polygamy can also become a necessity in a medically incurable case of the hypersexed male who, in most cases, would look to more than one woman for the satisfaction of his biological need. In all such cases, the Islamic permission of polygamy with all its responsibilities and restrictions would be a definitely healthier course than the hypocritical adherence to the formal monogamy.
Polyandry (i.e., the marriage of one woman with several husbands) is not permitted in Islam because psychologically it is unsound, sociologically it is impracticable and biologically it is most dangerous for the physical health of the persons concerned. Certain primitive tribes who practice polyandry are infected with the plague of venereal diseases.
Speaking on polygamy, Dr. Annie Besant says: "There is pretended monogamy in the West, but there is really polygamy without responsibility; the ‘mistress’ is cast off when the man is weary of her and sinks gradually to be the ‘woman of the street’, for the first lover has no responsibility for her future, and she is a hundred times worse off than the sheltered wife and mother in the polygamous home. When we see thousands of miserable women who crowed the streets of Western towns during the night, we must surely feel that it does not lie in western mouth to reproach Islam for polygamy. It is better for a woman, happier for a woman, more respectable for a woman, to live in polygamy, united to one man only, with the legitimate child in her arms, and surrounded with respect, than to be seduced, cast out into the streets, perhaps with an illegitimate child outside the pale of law, unsheltered and uncared for, to become the victim of any passer-by, night after night, rendered incapable of motherhood, despised of all."Another critic of Western social order observes: "The law of the state, based upon the dogma of the Church, which makes it a criminal offence for a man to marry more than one wife, by that same provision makes it illegal for millions of women to have husbands or to bear children…It is untrue that monogamy was advocated by Jesus Christ… whether the question is considered socially, ethically or religiously, it can be demonstrated that polygamy is not contrary to the highest standards of civilisation ….. The suggestion offers a practical remedy for the western problem of the destitute and unwanted female: the alternative is continued and increased prostitution, concubinage and distressing spinsterhood" (J.E. Clare McFarlane: Case for Polygamy).
(V) RELIGION OF SALVATION IN THIS LIFE AND THE HEREAFTERIt is the distinctive merit of Islam that it does not concern itself merely with Salvation beyond the grave—salvation in the Hereafter, but also gives full consideration to --- in fact, ensures --- human salvation in this life. For that purpose, it provides comprehensive Guidance which guarantees moral perfection, social progress, economic justice and political health – in short, all that is needed for the practical realisation and attainment of true human happiness in earthly life and all-round harmonious evolution of humanity.Laura Veccia Vaglieri says: "A religion which is not content with being a theory adapted to the aspirations of our human nature, nor with fixing a code of sublime precepts which may or may not be applied, but which also provides a code of life, establishes the fundamental principles of our morality on a systematic and positive base, precisely formulates the duties of man towards himself and towards others by means of rules which are capable of evolution and compatible with the widest intellectual develo-pment, and which gives its laws a Divine sanction, surely deserves our most profound admiration, as its influence is continual and salutary on man." (Apologie de L’ Islamisme, p. 88).
(W) RELIGION WITH AUTHENTIC AND PERFECT DIVINE SCRIPTUREThere are three fundamental merits of the Holy Qur’an, the Scripture of Islam, in which it stands unique among the scriptures of the world. They are: (1) authenticity of its text: (2) perfection of its literary form; (3) rational character, comprehensiveness and profoundness of its guidance. Even a brief discussion of these merits is not possible in the present introductory sketch. They are, however, so well-established that even the non-Muslim western scholars, who are always ready to attack Islam on the slightest pretext had to admit them in forceful words.Commenting on the beauty of form of the Holy Qur’an Paul Casanova remarks: "Whenever Hazrat Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) was asked a miracle as a proof of the authenticity of his mission, he quoted the composition of the Qur’an and its incomparable excellence as a proof of its Divine origin. And, in fact, even for those who are non-Muslims nothing is more marvelous than its language with such a prehensile plenitude and a grasping sonority that its simple audition ravished with admiration those primitive peoples so fond of eloquence! The ampleness of its syllables with a grandiose cadence and with a remarkable large rhythm have been of much moment in the conversion of the most hostile and the most sceptic." (L’ Enseignement de I’Arabe au College de France, Lecon d’ouverture, April 26, 1909).As regards perfection in matter of guidance and the authenticity of its text, Laura Veccia Vaglieri observes: "But besides the perfection of form and method, the Book is also revealed inimitable by its very substance, for, we read in it, among other things, previsions or future events and of relations of fact accomplished since many centuries or which are generally ignored, and allusions to the most different sciences, religious or profane. On the whole we find in it a collection of wisdom which can be adopted by the most intelligent of men, the greatest of philosophers and the most skillful politicians….. But there is another proof of the Divinity of the Qur’an: it is the fact that it has been preserved intact through the ages since the time of its Revelation till the present day. And so it will always remain, with God’s Will, as long as the universe exists. Read and re-read through out the Muslim world, this book does not rouse in the Faithful any weariness; it rather, through repetition, is found feeling of awe and respect in the one who reads it or listens to it." (Apologie de L’Islamisme, pp.57-59).
(X) RELIGION WITH THE SIMPLEST CREEDThe Islamic creed is as simple as the Islamic ideology is profound. Its first fundaments are:
(1) SEVEN ARTICLES OF FAITHThey are: Belief in:Allah;Angles;Divine Scriptures;Messengers of Allah;the Hereafter;the pre-measurement of Good and Evil;Resurrection after death.
(2) THE "FIVE PILLARS"They are:Declaration of faith in the One-ness of God and in the Divine Messengership of Hazrat Muhammad: (Peace be upon him) La ilaha Illallah Muhammadur-Rasulullah;Obligatory Prayers;Obligatory Fasts;Zakat or Poor-tax;Pilgrimage to Ka’aba at Meccaa by those who possess the means.A Christian critic of Islam makes the following confession: "Islam had the power of peacefully conquering the souls by the simplicity of its theology, the clearness of its dogma and principles, and the definite number of practices which it demands. In contrast to Christianity which has been undergoing continuous transformation since its origin, Islam has remained identical with itself" (Jean Lheureux: Etude sur L’Islamisme, p. 35).For an appreciation of the Seven Articles and the Five Pillars, the reader is referred to "The Principles of Islam" written by His Eminence Muhammad Abdul Aleem Siddiqi and published in the present series. Here it may be noted, however, that these Seven Articles and Five Pillars constitute only the "first fundaments", while the complete ideology of Islam, which shoots off from these fundaments and which is enshrined in the Holy Qur’an and the Prophetic Traditions, is so comprehensive as to cover the entire sweep of necessary guidance on physical, moral, social and spiritual aspects of human life.
(Y) Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) THE PINNACLE OF HUMAN PERFECTIONA code alone cannot, by its existence as such, inspire mankind to action. Hence to love the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Allah bless him!) above all human being and things of the world, to believe in him as the Most Perfect Embodiment of Human Perfection and as the Absolute Leader and the Last and the Final Prophet (after whom no new prophet of any category, zilli, buruzi, tashri’ee, ghairtashri’ee --- shadowy or real --- is to come), and to follow him as the "Best Example", form the prerequisite of Islamic Belief.This is the theological status of the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (peace be with him) in Islam. As regards his refulgent personality, that would require volumes even to do bare justice to it.
It is said that the best testimony is that which comes from the enemy’s camp. Here, therefore, we might quote a few statements of the Western scholars of Islam.Hazrat Muhammad’s (peace be with him) figure was highly majestic, his complexion and features were extremely handsome, and "he was gifted", says the renowned Orientalist Lane Poole, "with mighty powers of imagination, elevation of mind, delicacy and refinement of feeling. ‘He is more modest than a virgin behind her curtain", it was said of him. He was most indulgent to his inferiors, and would never allow his awkward little page to be scolded whatever he did. ‘Ten years,’ said Anas, his servant, ‘was I about the Prophet and he never said as much as Uff to me.’ He was very affectionate towards his family. One of his boys died on his breast in the smoky house of the nurse, a blacksmith’s wife. He was very fond of children; he would stop them in the streets and pat their little heads. He never struck anyone in his life. The worst expression he ever made use of in conversation was, ‘what has come to him? May his forehead be darkened with mud!’ When asked to curse someone, he replied, ‘I have not been sent to curse but to be a mercy to mankind.’ He visited the sick, followed any bier he met, accepted the invitation of a slave to dinner, mended his own clothes, milked the goats, and waited upon himself, relates summarily another tradition. He never first withdrew his hand out of another man’s palm, and turned not before the other had turned.‘He was the most faithful protector of those he protected, ‘the sweetest and most agreeable in conversation. Those who saw him were suddenly filled with reverence; those who came near him loved him; they who described him would say, ‘I have never seen his like either before or after.’ ‘He was of great taciturnity, but when he spoke it was with emphasis and deliberation and no one could forget what he said."He lived with his views in a row of humble cottages separated from one another by palm branches cemented together with mud. He would kindle the fire, sweep the floor, and milk the goats himself. The little food he had was always shared with those who dropped in to partake of it. Indeed, outside the Prophet’s house was a bench or a gallery on which were always found a number of poor who lived entirely upon his generosity, and were hence called ‘people of the bench’. His ordinary food was dates and water, or barley bread; milk and honey were luxuries of which he was fond but which he rarely allowed himself. The fare of the desert seemed most congenial to him even when he was the sovereign of Arabia…"There is something so tender and womanly, and withal so heroic, about the man that one is in peril of finding the judgement unconsciously blinded by the feeling of reverence and well-nigh love that such a nature inspires. He who, standing alone, braved for years the hatred of his people, is the same who was never the first to withdraw his hand from another’s clasp; the beloved of children who never passed a group of little ones without a smile from his wonderful eyes and a kind word for them, sounding all the kinder in that sweet-toned voice. The frank friendship, the noble generosity, the dauntless courage and hope of the man, all tend to melt criticism into admiration."He was an enthusiast in that noblest sense when enthusiasm becomes the salt of the earth, the one thing that keeps men from rotting whilst they live. Enthusiasm is often used despitefully, because it is jointed to an unworthy cause or falls upon barren ground and bears no fruit. So was it not with Hazrat Muhammad (Peace be with him). He was an enthusiast when enthusiasm was the one thing needed to set the world aflame, and his enthusiasm was noble for a noble cause. He was one of those happy few who have attained the supreme joy of making one great truth their very lifespring. He was the Messenger of the one God, and never to his life’s end did he forget who he was or the message which was the marrow of his being. He brought his tidings with a dignity sprung from the consciousness of his high office together with a most sweet humility." (Speeches and Table-talk of the Prophet Hazrat Muhammad, Introduction’ XXVIII – XXX)."The essential sincerity of Hazrat Muhammad’s (Peace be with him) nature," says Professor Nathaniel Schmidt, "cannot be questioned; and historical criticism that blinks no fact, yields nothing to credulity, weighs every testimony, has no partisan interest, and seeks only the trust, must acknowledge his claim to belong to that order of Prophets who, whatever the nature of their psychical experience may have been, in diverse manners, have admonished, taught, uttered austere and sublime thoughts, laid down principles of nobler than they found, and devoted themselves fearlessly to their high calling, being irresistibly impelled to their ministry be a power within." (The New International Encyclopaedia. Vol. XVI, p. 72).Speaking of the glorious success which attended the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad’s (Peace be with him) mission, Caryle observes: "To the Arab nation Islam was a birth from darkness into light; Arabia first became alive by means of it. A poor, shepherd people, roaming unnoticed in its deserts since the creation of the world; a Hero-Prophet was sent down to them with a word they could believe: see the unnoticed becomes world-notable, the small has grown worldgreat. Within one century afterward Arabia is at Granada on this hand, at Delhi on that, glancing in valuour and splendour and the light of genius, Arabia shines through long ages over a great section of the world. These Arabs, the man Hazrat Muhammad, (Peace be with him) and that one century --- is it not as if a spark had fallen, one spark on what seemed black, unnoticeable sand? But lo ! the sand proves explosive powder, blazes heaven-high from Delhi to Granada!" (Heroes and Hero-Worship: Chappter on "Hero as Prophet").O. Houdas, the French scholar, said half a century ago about the inner vitality of the Holy Prophet’s Message: "Never has a religion developed with parallel rapidity. In less than half a century Islam spread from the banks of the Indus to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, and, if this movement slowed down, it still persists after fourteen centuries of existence. After having penetrated in India, in China and Malaysia, Islam continues its invading march in the African Continent which will before long become entirely Muslim. Without special missionaries and without resort to the force of arms, the religion of Hazrat Muhammad (Peace be with him) has converted the Black Continent, and it is not without some astonishment to point out the existence in England and America of small white communities which….. have adopted the Islamic doctrines and made efforts to propagate them. This invasion of Europe, hardly visible today, will surely grow." (La Grande Encyclopaedie, Tome 20, article: Islamisme).
(Z) ABSORPTION IN THE LOVE OF GOD THE FINAL GOALCultivation of and absorption in the love of Allah, and the permeation of the heart with the sweet ecstasy of that love, until a person becomes virtually incapable of acting against the Divine Commands, is the final goal, which bestows upon a Muslim "Abiding Life" --- a life of Peace, Progress and Perfection.