Some Benefits of Islam

Islam provides many benefits for the individual and the society. This chapter mentions some of the benefits gained through Islam for the individual.

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(1) The Door to Eternal Paradise

God has said in the Quran:

And give good news (O Muhammad) to those who believe and do good deeds, that they will have gardens (Paradise) in which rivers flow.... (Quran, 2:25)

God has also said:

Race one with another for forgiveness from your Lord and for Paradise, whose width is as the width of the heavens and the earth, which has been prepared for those who believe in God and His messengers.... (Quran, 57:21)

 

The Prophet Muhammad told us that the lowest in rank among the dwellers of Paradise will have ten times the like of this world,1 and he or she will have whatever he or she desires and ten times like it.2 Also, the Prophet Muhammad said: {A space in Paradise equivalent to the size of a foot would be better than the world and what is in it.}3 He also said: {In Paradise there are things which no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human mind has thought of.}4 He also said: {The most miserable man in the world of those meant for Paradise will be dipped once in Paradise. Then he will be asked, “Son of Adam, did you ever face any misery? Did you ever experience any hardship?” So he will say, “No, by God, O Lord! I never faced any misery, and I never experienced any hardship.”}5

If you enter Paradise, you will live a very happy life without sickness, pain, sadness, or death; God will be pleased with you; and you will live there forever.

 

God has said in the Quran:

But those who believe and do good deeds, We will admit them to gardens (Paradise) in which rivers flow, lasting in them forever.... (Quran, 4:57)

 

(2) Salvation from Hellfire

God has said in the Quran:

Those who have disbelieved and died in disbelief, the earth full of gold would not be accepted from any of them if one offered it as a ransom. They will have a painful punishment, and they will have no helpers.(Quran, 3:91)

 

So, this life is our only chance to win Paradise and to escape from Hellfire, because if someone dies in disbelief, he will not have another chance to come back to this world to believe.  As God has said in the Quran about what is going to happen for the unbelievers on the Day of Judgment:

If you could but see when they are set before the Fire (Hell) and say, “Would that we might return (to the world)!  Then we would not reject the verses of our Lord, but we would be of the believers!”(Quran, 6:27)

 

But no one will have this second opportunity.

The Prophet Muhammad said: {The happiest man in the world of those doomed to the Fire (Hell) on the Day of Judgment will be dipped in the Fire once.  Then he will be asked, “Son of Adam, did you ever see any good?  Did you ever experience any blessing?”  So he will say, “No, by God, O Lord!”}

 

(3) Real Happiness and Inner Peace

 

Real happiness and peace can be found in submitting to the commands of the Creator and the Sustainer of this world.  God has said in the Quran:

Truly, in remembering God do hearts find rest. (Quran, 13:28)

 

On the other hand, the one who turns away from the Quran will have a life of hardship in this world.  God has said:

But whoever turns away from the Quran,¹ he will have a hard life, and We will raise him up blind on the Day of Judgment. (Quran, 20:124)

 

This may explain why some people commit suicide while they enjoy the material comfort money can buy.  For example, look at Cat Stevens (now Yusuf Islam), formerly a famous pop singer who used to earn sometimes more than $150,000 a night.  After he converted to Islam, he found true happiness and peace, which he had not found in material success.

 

(4) Forgiveness for All Previous Sins

 

When someone converts to Islam, God forgives all of his previous sins and evil deeds.  A man called Amr came to the Prophet Muhammad and said, “Give me your right hand so that I may give you my pledge of loyalty.”  The Prophet stretched out his right hand.  Amr withdrew his hand.  The Prophet said: {What has happened to you, O Amr?}  He replied, “I intend to lay down a condition.”  The Prophet asked: {What condition do you intend to put forward?}Amr said, “That God forgive my sins.”  The Prophet said: {Didn’t you know that converting to Islam erases all previous sins?}

 

After converting to Islam, the person will be rewarded for his or her good and bad deeds according to the following saying of the Prophet Muhammad : {Your Lord, Who is blessed and exalted, is most merciful.  If someone intends to do a good deed but does not do it, a good deed will be recorded for him.  And if he does do it, (a reward of) ten to seven hundred or many more times (the reward of the good deed), will be recorded for him.  And if someone intends to do a bad deed but does not do it, a good deed will be recorded for him.  And if he does do it, a bad deed will be recorded against him or God will wipe it out.}

Effects and Purposes of Hajj

Question: I watched scenes of the pilgrims on TV, and saw them coming to visit the sacred House of Allah. I was overwhelmed and my eyes filled with tears when I saw this great scene, and I wished that I could be with them and do this great deed. My question is this: does this great gathering have any effect on the Muslims and the people of Islam? What should the pilgrim remember when he is facing the sacred House of Allah?

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Answer: We thank you for your question and appreciate your concern. We ask Allah to bless those who perform Hajj with forgiveness of sins, and for those who have not done Hajj we ask Him to grant them what they hope  for and save them from that which they fear.

The aims and purposes of Hajj and great and sublime. There follows an outline of some of them:

1 – A sense of connection with the Prophets (peace be upon them) from our father Ibrahim who built the House, to our Prophet Muhammad the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his respect for the sanctity of Makkah. When the pilgrim visits the sacred places and performs the rituals, he remembers the visits of those pure Prophets to this sacred place.

Muslim (241) narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas said: We traveled with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) between Makkah and Medina, and we passed by a valley. He said, “What valley is this?” They said, “The valley of al-Azraq.” He said, “It is as if I can see Mousa the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) putting his fingers in his ears beseeching Allah, reciting the Talbiyah and passing through this valley.”

Then we traveled on until we came to a mountain pass. He said, “What mountain pass is this?” They said, “Harsha or Lift.” He said, “It is as if I can see Younus on a red camel, wearing a woolen cloak, the reins of his camel made from fibers of date-palm, passing through this valley reciting the Talbiyah.”

2 – The whiteness and cleanness of the pilgrims’ clothes is a sign of inward purity, cleanness of heart and the purity of the message and the method. This means putting aside all adornment and showing humility, and it is a reminder of death when the deceased is shrouded in similar cloths. So it is as if he is preparing to meet Allah.

3 – Entering ihram from the meeqaat is a physical expression of worship and enslavement to Allah, and of submission to His commands and laws. No one passes it (without entering ihram) because it is a command from Allah and a law that He has prescribed. This confirms the unity of the ummah and its following one system with nod differentiation or exemptions with regard to the definition of the meeqaats.

4 – Hajj is the symbol of Tawheed from the first moment the pilgrim enters ihram. Jabir ibn ‘Abd-Allah said, describing the Hajj of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): “Then he started to say the words of Tawheed, ‘“Labbayka Allaahumma labbayk, labbayka laa shareeka laka labbayk. Inna al-hamd wa’l-ni’mata laka wa’l-mulk, laa shareeka lak  (Here I am, O Allah, here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. Verily all praise and blessings are Yours, and all sovereignty, You have no partner).’”

Narrated by Muslim, 2137;

5 – It is a reminder of the Hereafter when all the people come together in one place in ‘Arafat and elsewhere, with no differentiation between them. All of them are equal in this place and no one is better than anyone else.

6 – Hajj is a symbol of unity, because Hajj makes all people the same in their clothing, deeds, rituals, kiblah and the places they visit. So no one is better than anyone else, king or slave, rich or poor, are all the same.

So the people are equal in terms of rights and duties. They are equal in this sacred place, and differences in color and nationality do not matter; no one has the right to differentiate between them.

Unity of feelings, unity of rituals.

Unity in purpose, unity in action.

Unity in words. “People come from Adam, and Adam came from dust. No Arab is superior to a non-Arab and no white man is superior to a black man, except in terms of piety (taqwa).”

More than two million Muslims all standing in one place, wearing the same clothes, sharing one aim, with one slogan, calling upon one Lord and following one Prophet… what unity can be greater than this?

Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, those who disbelieved and hinder (men) from the path of Allah, and from Al‑Masjid Al‑Haraam (at Makkah) which We have made (open) to (all) men, the dweller in it and the visitor from the country are equal there [as regards its sanctity and pilgrimage (Hajj and ‘Umrah)] — and whoever inclines to evil actions therein or to do wrong (i.e. practice polytheism and leave Islamic Monotheism), him We shall cause to taste from a painful torment”

[al-Hajj 22:25]

7 – It trains him to be content with modest clothing and accommodation, when he wears two pieces of cloth and it is sufficient for him, and his accommodation gives him just enough room to sleep.

8 – Terrifying the kefirs and followers of misguidance with this huge gathering of Muslims. Even though they are scattered and different, the simple fact that they come together despite those differences at a certain time and in a certain place is indicative of their potential to unite at other times and in other places.

9 – Pointing out the importance of Muslims coming together and establishing harmony. For we see usually each person travelling on his own, whereas in Hajj we see people coming in groups.

10 – Getting to know the situation of the Muslims from trustworthy sources, since the Muslim can hear directly from his brother about the situation of his Muslim brothers in the land from which he has come.

11 –Exchanging benefits and experience among the Muslims in general.

12 – Meeting scholars and decision makers from all countries and studying the situation and needs of the Muslims, and the importance of cooperating with them.

13 – Achieving true submission to Allah by standing in the holy places when the pilgrim leaves al-Masjid al-Haraam which is the best of spots, and standing in ‘Arafat.

14 – Forgiveness of sins, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever does Hajj and does not speak any obscene words or commit any sin will go back cleansed of sin as on the day his mother bore him.”

15 – Opening the doors of hope to those who commit sin, and teaching them to give up their sin in these holy places, so that they will give up a lot of their bad habits during the period of Hajj and its rituals.

16 – Proclaiming that Islam is the religion of organization, because during Hajj the rituals and time are organized, with every action done in the place and at the time defined for it.

17 – Training oneself to spend in charitable ways and to avoid miserliness. The pilgrim spends a great deal of money for the sake of Hajj, on travel expenses, on the road and in the sacred places.

18 – Increasing piety and making the heart fit to honor the Symbols of Allah. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“and whosoever honors the Symbols of Allah, then it is truly, from the piety of the hearts”

[al-Hajj 22:32]

19 – Training the rich to give up their distinct clothing and accommodation and making them equal with the poor in clothing and in the rituals of tawaaf, saa’i and stoning the jamaraat. This teaches them to be humble and to realize the insignificance of this worldly life.

20 – The pilgrim persists in worshipping and remembering Allah during the days of Hajj, moving from one sacred place to the next, from one action to another. This is a kind of intensive training in worship and remembrance of Allah.

21 – Training oneself to be kind to people – so the pilgrim guides those who are lost, teaches those who are ignorant, helps the poor, and supports the disabled and weak.

22 – Developing good characteristics such as forbearance and putting up with annoyance from people, because the pilgrim will inevitably be exposed to crowding and arguments, etc. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“The Hajj (pilgrimage) is (in) the well-known (lunar year) months (i.e. the 10th month, the 11th month and the first ten days of the 12th month of the Islamic calendar, i.e. two months and ten days). So whosoever intends to perform Hajj therein (by assuming Ihraam), then he should not have sexual relations (with his wife), nor commit sin, nor dispute unjustly during the Hajj.”

[al-Baqarah 2:197]

23 – Training oneself to be patient and to put up with difficulties such as heat, long distances, being apart from one’s family, going back and forth between the holy sites and crowded conditions therein.

24 – Learning to give up one's usual habits and the things that one is comfortable with, because the pilgrim has to uncover his head and give up his regular clothes, and leave behind the accommodation, food and drink that he is used to.

25 – When the pilgrim does saa’i between al-Safa and al-Marwah, he remembers that the one who obeys Allah and puts his trust in Him and turns to Him, He will not let him down, rather He will raise high the esteem in which he is held. When Hagar the mother of Ismaa’eel (peace be upon them both) said to Ibrahim, “Has Allah commanded you to do this?” he said, “Yes.” She said, “Then He will not let us down.” So Allah raised high the esteem in which she was held and the people, including the Prophets, started to run between the two hills as she had done.

26 – Teaching oneself not to despair of the mercy of Allah, no matter how great one's worries and distress. For the way out is in Allah's hand. The mother of Ismaa’eel thought her son was about to die, and she started to run from one mountain to the other, looking for a solution, and it came to her from a source she could never imagine when the angel came down and struck the ground, and out came the water of Zamzam with its healing for diseases of the heart and body.

27 – The pilgrim remembers that in doing these rituals he is the guest of the most Merciful. The gathering of Hajj is not at the invitation of any government or organization or king or president, rather it is the invitation of the Lord of the Worlds Who has made it an occasion on which the Muslims meet on a footing of equality in which no one is superior to anyone else. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And proclaim to mankind the Hajj (pilgrimage). They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, they will come from every deep and distant (wide) mountain highway (to perform Hajj).

That they may witness things that are of benefit to them (i.e. reward of Hajj in the Hereafter, and also some worldly gain from trade)”

[al-Hajj 22:27-28]

Al-Nasaa’i (2578) narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The guests of Allah are three: the warrior for the sake of Allah, the pilgrim performing Hajj and the pilgrim performing ‘Umrah.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albany in Saheeh al-Nasaa’i, 2464.

28 – Strengthening bonds with the believers, as represented in the words of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): “Your blood, your honor and your wealth are sacred to you as this day of yours in this month of yours in this land of yours is sacred.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 65; Muslim, 3180.

29 – The season of Hajj is distinguished by complete separation from the people of shirk and kufr who are forbidden to attend any part of it. It is forbidden for them to enter the Haram at any time, no matter what their purpose. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O you who believe (in Allah's Oneness and in His Messenger Muhammad)! Verily, the Mushrikoon (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah, and in the Message of Muhammad) are Najasun (impure).  So let them not come near Al‑Masjid Al-Haraam (at Makkah) after this year; and if you fear poverty, Allah will enrich you if He wills, out of His Bounty. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise”

[al-Tawbah 9:28]

Al-Bukhaari narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: “Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) sent me as an announcer on that Hajj [which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) appointed Abu Bakr to lead in 9 AH], to announce on the Day of Sacrifice in Mina that after this year no mushrik might perform Hajj and no one might circumambulate the House naked.”

And Allah knows best. May Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and companions.

The reason why it is prescribed for Muslims to perform Hajj once in a Lifetime

We Muslims feel honored and proud to be the slaves of Allah, the One, the Self-Sufficient Master, Who begets not nor was He begotten, and there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him; He is our Lord and we have no Lord besides Him. Hence we respond to the commands of our Lord with the utmost humility and submit to His commands, for we know that He is the All-Wise and no wisdom is greater than His. We know that He is the Most-Merciful and there is none more merciful than Him, may He be glorified and praised. Hence we love Him in a way that demands that we obey His commands even if that is somewhat difficult for us. We feel proud, happy and content when we do that which He commands us to do.

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For if a human loves another person, he loves to serve him and that may make him happy. So what do you think about the Almighty Lord Who created us and grants us provision, and everything that we have is a blessing from Him? And His is the highest description. We owe everything to our Lord, so we must hasten to do all that He commands us to do, so that we might give back some small thanks for His great blessings. We can never thank Him enough, but by His grace Allah the Most Generous accepts our small efforts and rewards us for them greatly.

 

For example, Hajj or pilgrimage. If a Muslim does Hajj in the manner required by his Lord, then Allah has promised to forgive him his sins and admit him to Paradise, on condition that he does not spoil this action by committing any major action that would invalidate it and earn the anger of Allah.

 

One of the great mercies that Allah has bestowed upon this ummah (nation, i.e., the Muslims), is that Allah has made obedience to His commands and the commands of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) subject to the condition that one be able to do them. So long as a person is able to do them, then it is obligatory for him to do what is required of him, otherwise he is not obliged to do so and he is excused. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope” [al-Baqarah 2:286] – i.e.,  He does not ask him to do more than he can bear.

 

Concerning Hajj in particular, Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

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“And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka‘bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the expenses (for one’s conveyance, provision and residence)” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:97]

 

By His mercy He has enjoined this upon His slaves once in a lifetime, so that it will not be too difficult for them, but He urges those who are able to do Hajj and ‘Umrah more than once to do so. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Keep on doing Hajj and ‘Umrah, for they take away poverty and sins as the bellows takes away the impurity from iron.” (Narrated by al-Nasaa’i, 2/4; this is a saheeh hadeeth as was stated by al-Albany in al-Silsilat al-Saheehah, 1200).

 

This great act of worship was prescribed by Allah so that we might praise Him and glorify Him, and thank Him for His great blessings and bounty. The purpose of Tawaaf around the Ka’bah is not simply to go around these stones! No, rather the reason is that Allah has commanded us to go around it seven times and we obey Allah by going around it seven times, no more and no less; rather we do what He has commanded us and we feel that we are His slaves, humbling ourselves before Him and praising Him and thanking Him for choosing us to be His slaves out of all of mankind who worship various gods, and may even worship themselves or their own desires.

 

The same applies to all the rituals of Hajj, and indeed to all the acts of worship that Allah has prescribed for us. Praise be to Allah, Who has honored us with this great religion.

 

Moreover, your interest in asking about the Hajj at your young age indicates that you are keen to learn and find out. We advise you to learn more about Islam and to read about it, and to find out for yourself that it is the religion that suits the natural inclinations of man. This will set you on the path towards pleasing your Almighty Lord, Who created you and Who provides for you, and Who deserves that you should worship Him alone and none other.

 

Perhaps you know that our prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told us that his fellow-Prophet ‘Isa (Jesus – peace be upon him) will come down at the end of time and will perform pilgrimage to this House, and he will declare his belief in Allah alone (Tawheed). We believe that this will happen as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told us, just as we believe that the sun rises in the morning. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, the son of Maryam (the son of Mary, i.e. Jesus) will certainly pronounce the Talbiyah for Hajj or for ‘Umrah, or for both in the valley of Rawha.” (Narrated by Muslim, 1252). The valley of Rawha’ is a place between Makkah and Medina.

 

[Translator’s note: The Talbiyah is a prayer recited by pilgrims going to Makkah. It may be translated as follows: “Here I am at your service, O Allah, here I am. Here I am at Your Service, You have no partner, here I am. All praise and blessings are Yours, and all dominion. You have no partner.”]

 

We ask Allah to open your heart to true guidance… Amen.

"Pride" – A Barrier to Paradise

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Allah's Messenger said:

"Whoever has an atoms worth of kibr (pride) in his heart will not enter Paradise." So a man said: What about a person who loves (i.e. takes pride in) wearing beautiful clothes and beautiful shoes? So he replied: "Indeed Allah is beautiful and loves beauty. Kibr (pride) is to reject the truth, and to despise the people."

 

So Allah - the Most High - informs us that the Hellfire is the abode of those who have kibr (pride and arrogance). And we learn from the (above) hadeeth that: "Whoever has on atoms worth of kibr (pride) in his heart will not enter Paradise." So this is a proof that kibr (pride) necessitates entry into the Hellfire and prevents entry into Paradise. And this comprehensive explanation that the Prophet mentioned has clarified the meaning of kibr (pride) in the dearest possible manner. So he divided kibr into two types:-

 

[1] Pride against the truth:

This is to reject the truth and not to accept it. So anyone who reject the truth is proud and arrogant - in accordance with what he reject of the truth. So it is obligatory upon everyone to humble themselves to the truth which Allah sent His Messenger with, and which He sent down in His Book. As for those whose pride and arrogance prevents them from totally complying with the Messengers (i.e. having belief or faith in them and their message) - then they are kuffaar (unbelievers) who will dwell in the Hellfire for eternity. Since when the truth comes to them via the Messengers, who explain to them the signs and clear proofs, they reject it and are prevented from accepting it, due to the kibr that they harbor in their hearts. Allah the Most High - said:

(55) Verily, those who dispute about the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah, without any authority having come to them, there is nothing else in their breasts except pride [to accept you (Muhammad SAW) as a Messenger of Allah and to obey you][]. They will never have it (i.e. Prophet hood which Allah has bestowed upon you). So seek refuge in Allah (O Muhammad SAW from the arrogant). Verily, it is He Who is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer. (56) [Soorah Ghaafir (40):56]

 

As for those whose arrogance and pride prevent them from complying with parts of the truth - because it opposes their personal opinions or their whims and desires - then such people are not kuffaar (unbelievers), but such an action necessitates them being punished in accordance with what they have of kibr. This is why the Scholars are agreed that whenever the Sunnah (guidance and way) of Allah's Messenger has been explained to anyone, then it is not lawful for him to turn away from it to the saying of someone else, whoever and whatever status he may have. So it is obligatory upon the seeker of knowledge to give complete and absolute precedence to the saying of Allah and the saying of His Messenger over and above the saying of anyone else, and that he should make that the basis to which he returns, and the foundation upon which he builds; following the guidance of the Prophet, striving hard to understand what is intended from it, and following this, both inwardly and outwardly. When a person conforms to this great principle, then he has indeed reached goodness and excellence, and all his errors will be forgiven to him; since his overall objective is to follow that which has been prescribed upon him. So his errors are excused due to his striving his best to recognize and comply with the truth - and this is humbling oneself to the truth.

 

[2] Pride towards people:

This type is to despise the people, and to look down upon them. This attitude arises when a person is amazed with his own self, thinks highly of himself, and thinks he is better than others. So this causes him to have kibr towards the creation, despise them, mock them, and to degrade them through both speech and action. Allah's Messenger said:

"It is enough evil for a person to despise his brother Muslim."

 

This is why the man asked: "What about a person who loves (i.e. takes pride in) wearing beautiful clothes and shoes?" Because he feared that this was the kibr which would be under the threat of punishment. So the Prophet explained to him that this was not from pride; since this person was one who complied with the truth, and was humble towards people, and that this was from the beauty that Allah loves, for indeed Allah - the Most High is beautiful in His Dhaat (Self), Sifaat (Attributes) and Af'aal (Actions), and He loves both outer and inner beauty.

 

As regards outer beauty, then it includes cleanliness of the body, clothes and place. As regards to inner beauty, then it is beautifying the character. This is why the Prophet used to supplicate:

"O Allah! Guide me to having beautiful manners and characteristics, no one can guide me to beautifying them except You. And turn away from me all evil actions and characteristics, no one can turn them away from me except You."

Prophethood In Heavenly Revealed Religions

Prophethood is not unknown to heavenly revealed religions, such as Judaism, and Christianity and Islam.
 
According to Islam, Allah created man for a noble purpose: to worship Him and lead a virtuous life based on His teachings and guidance. How would man know his role and purpose of his existence unless he received clear and practical instructions of what Allah wants him to do? Here comes the need for prophethood. Thus Allah had chosen from every nation a prophet or more to covey His Message to people. One might ask: How were the prophets chosen and who were entitled to this great honor?
 
Prophethood is Allah's blessing and favor that He may bestow on whom He wills. However, from surveying the various messengers throughout history, three features of a prophet may be recognized:
 
1. He is the best in his community morally and intellectually. This is necessary because a prophet's life serves as a model for his followers. His personality should attract people to accept his message rather than drive them away by his imperfect character. After receiving the message he is infallible. That is, he would not commit any sin. He might make some minor mistakes which are usually corrected by revelation.
 
2. He is supported by miracles to prove that he is not an impostor. Those miracles are granted by the power and permission of God and are usually in the field in which his people excel and are recognized as superiors. We might illustrate this by quoting the major miracles of the three prophets of the major world religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Moses' contemporaries were excellent in magic. So his major miracle was to defeat the best magicians of Egypt of his days. Jesus' contemporaries were recognized as skillful physicians. Therefore, his miracles were to raise the dead and cure the incurable diseases. The Arabs, the contemporaries of the Prophet Mohammed, were known for their eloquence and magnificent poetry. So Prophet Muhammad's major miracle was the Quran, the equivalent of which the whole legion of the Arab poets and orators could not produce despite the repeated challenge from the Quran itself. Again Muhammad's miracle has something special about it. All previous miracles were limited by time and place, i.e., they were shown to specific people at a specific time. Not so the miracle of Muhammad, the Quran. It is a universal and everlasting miracle. Previous generations witnessed it and future generations will witness its miraculous nature in terms of its style, content and spiritual uplifting. These still can be tested and will thereby prove the divine origin of the Quran.
 
3. Every prophet states clearly that what he receives is not of his own but from God for the well-being of mankind. He also confirms what was revealed before him and what may be revealed after him. A prophet does this to show that he is simply conveying the message which is entrusted to him by the One True God of all people in all ages. So the message is one in essence and for the same purpose. Therefore, it should not deviate from what was revealed before him or what might come after him.
 
Prophets are necessary for conveying God's instructions and guidance to mankind. We have no way of knowing why we were created. What will happen to us after death? Is there any life after death? Are we accountable for our actions? In other words, is there any reward or punishment for our deeds in this life? These and so many other questions about God, angels, paradise, hell, etc. can not be answered without revelation from the Creator and Knower of the unseen. Those answers must be authentic and must be brought by individuals whom we trust and respect. That is why, messengers are the select of their societies in terms of moral conduct and intellectual ability.
 
Hence, the slanderous Biblical stories about some of the great prophets are not accepted by Muslims. For example, Lot is reported to have committed fornication while drunk, with his daughters; or Jacob deceived God and his father to be the chosen prophet instead of his brother. Prophets to Muslims are greater than what these stories indicate. These stories can not be true from the Islamic point of view. The prophets are also miraculously supported by God and instructed by Him to affirm the continuity of the message.
 
The content of the prophets' message to mankind can be summarized as follows:
 
Clear concept about God: His attributes, His creation, what should and should not be ascribed to Him.
Clear idea about the unseen world, the angels, jinn (spirits), Paradise and Hell.
 
Why has God created us? What does He want from us and what is the reward or punishment for obeying or disobeying Him? How to run our societies according to His will? That is, clear instructions and laws that, when applied correctly and  honestly, will result in a happy and ideal society.
It is clear from the above discussion that there is no substitute for prophets. Even today with the advancement of science, the only authentic source of information about the supernatural world is revelation. Guidance can be obtained neither from science nor from mystic experience. The first is too materialistic and too limited; the second is too subjective and frequently too misleading.
 
Now one might ask: How many prophets has God sent to humanity? We do not know for sure but some Hadiths have suggested 240 thousand prophets. We are only sure of what is clearly mentioned in the Quran, that is, God has sent a messenger (or more) to every nation. That is because it is one of God's principles that He will never call a people to account unless He has made clear to them what to do and what not to do. The Quran mentions the names of 25 prophets and indicates that there have been others who were not mentioned to the Prophet Mohammed. These 25 include Noah, the man of the Ark, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad. These five are the greatest among God's messengers. They are called 'the resolute' prophets.
 
An outstanding aspect of the Islamic belief in prophethood is that Muslims believe in and respect all the messengers of God with no exceptions. Since all the prophets came from the same One God, for the same purpose - to lead mankind to God - belief in them all is essential and logical; accepting some and rejecting others has to be based on misconceptions of the prophets' role or racial bias.
 
The Muslims are the only people in the world who consider the belief in all the prophets of God an article of faith. Thus the Jews reject Jesus Christ and Muhammad; the Christians reject Muhammad and in reality reject Moses because they do not abide by his laws. The Muslims accept them all as messengers of God who brought guidance to mankind. However, the revelation which those prophets brought from God has been tampered with in one way or the other. The belief in all the messengers of God is enjoined on the Muslims by the Quran.
"Say (O Muslims): we believe in Allah and that which is revealed to us and that which was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael, and Isaac and Jacob, and their children, and that which Moses and Jesus received and that the prophets received from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them and unto Him we have surrendered." (2:136)
 
The Quran continues in the following verses to instruct the Muslims that this is the true and impartial belief. If other nations believe in the same, they are following their own whims and biases and God will take care of them. Thus we read: "And if they believe in what you believe, then they are rightly guided. But if they turn away, then they are in disunity, and Allah will suffice you against them. He is the Hearer, the Knower. This is God's religion and Who is better than God in religion?" (2:137-38)
 
 
There are, at least, two important points related to prophethood that need to be clarified. These points concern the roles of Jesus and Muhammad as prophets who are usually misunderstood.
The Quranic account of Jesus emphatically rejects the concept of his 'Divinity' and 'Divine Sonship' and presents him as one of the great prophets of God. The Quran makes it clear that the birth of Jesus without a father does not make him son of God and mentions in this respect Adam who was created by God without a father and mother: "Truly the likeness of Jesus, in God's sight, is as Adam's likeness; He created him of dust, then said He unto him, 'Be', and he was." (3:59)
 
 
Like other prophets Jesus also performed miracles. For example, he raised the dead and cured the blind and lepers, but while showing these miracles he always made it clear that it was all from God. Actually the misconceptions about the personality and mission of Jesus found a way among his followers because the Divine message that he preached was not recorded during his presence in the world, rather it was recorded after a lapse of about hundred years. According to the Quran he was sent to the children of Israel; he confirmed the validity of the Torah which was revealed to Moses and he also brought the glad tidings of a final messenger after him. "And when Jesus son of Mary said, 'Children of Israel, I am indeed the Messenger to you, confirming the Torah that is before me, and giving good tidings of a Messenger who shall come after me, whose name shall be the PRAISED ONE." (61:6) (The capitalized portion is the translation of Ahmad which is Prophet Muhammad's name.)
 
 
However, the majority of the Jews rejected his ministry. They plotted against his life and in their opinion crucified him. But the Quran refutes this opinion and says that they neither killed him nor crucified him, rather he was raised up to God. There is a verse in the Quran, which implies that Jesus will come back and all the Christians and Jews believe in him before he dies. This is also supported by authentic sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
 
The last prophet of God, Muhammad, was born in Arabia in the sixth century C.E. Up to the age of forty, people of Makkah knew him only as a man of excellent character and cultured manners and called him AL-AMEEN (the trustworthy). He also did not know that he was soon to made a prophet and receiver of revelation from God. He called the idolaters of Makkah to worship the only one God and accept him as His prophet. The revelation that he received was preserved in his life-time in the memory of his companions and was also recorded in pieces of palm leaves, leather etc... Thus the Quran that is found today is the same that was revealed to him; not a syllable of it has been altered as God Himself has guaranteed its preservation. This Quran claims to be the book of guidance for the whole humanity for all times, and mentions Muhammad as the last Prophet of God.

Tolerance in Islam and No Terrorism

Yet , at present time , the war did not come to an end . Western media , aided by the individual conduct of some Moslems , still propagate false ideas about Islam.They propagate fakes about the prophet of Islam , his companions , the Holy Quran ; whoever attacks Islam is highly rewarded and honored and even in some time receives Noble prize .Many of the western thinkers beat the drums of wars inventing or coining new terms that sound scientific to throw the populace in the quagmire of ignorance. It is the role of every Moslem to show the others what Islam is , first by his act and conduct ,patience , denouncing foolish acts and explaining the case of Islam , you have to make it your case .

Islam Tolerance with other religions

Islam is the last religion that was revealed to the earth by the same God of all the previous religions , it is the perfect religion as it includes all the previous religions in itself ; we must understand that all religions calls for monotheism and it was the human tampering that corrupted the previous religions , God is depicted as a human who needs to rest , human who forget , a human to regret and so many , other religion materialize God and attribute bad stories to the prophet who are supposed the exemplary that should be followed .

Islam was revealed to correct some misconception and put humanity again on the true path .

In spite of the clarity of Islam , it is now faced with many wars on all the intellectual fronts ; one of these unsubstantiated fallacies that you are faced with wherever you go is that Islam calls for intolerance . Western media , aided with the misbehavior of some Moslems , has made Islam its target and began to weave lies and libels about Islam .

Does Islam really calls for intolerance

We should know that the Arabian Peninsula during the time of the Prophet was a region in which various faiths were present.  There were Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, polytheists, and others not affiliated with any religion.  When one looks into the life of the Prophet, one may draw on many examples to portray the high level of tolerance shown to people of other faiths.

In order to understand and judge this tolerance, one must look into the period in which Islam was a formal state, with the specific laws laid down by the Prophet in accordance with the tenets of religion.  Even though one can observe many examples of tolerance shown by the Prophet in the thirteen years of his stay in Mecca, one may incorrectly think that it was only due to seeking to raise the profile of  the Muslims and the social status of Islam and in general.  For this reason, the discussion will be limited to the period which commenced with the migration of the Prophet to Medina, and specifically once the constitution was set.

.  All parties were to obey what was mentioned therein, and any breach of its articles was regarded as an act of treachery.

Islam respect the other religions :

The Holy Quran is the word of God , every command must be obeyed , a Moslem has no other choice before the word of God , if a Moslem disobeys the commands in the Holy Quran , he will be a sinner who will draw God's wrath upon himself . A Moslem must recite the Holy Quran five times daily in his prayer , he is asked to recite the holy Quran every time whenever he could , God made the reward of reciting of the Holy Quran so great –Reciting the Holy Quran in this way makes a Moslem repeat God's commands as many as possible and hence follow them . God says in the Holy Quran what means " The apostle believeth in what hath been revealed to him from his Lord, as do the men of faith. each one (of them) believeth in God, his angels, his books, and his apostles. we make no distinction (they say) between one and another of his apostle s. and they say: we hear, and we obey: (we seek) thy forgiveness, our Lord, and to thee is the end of all journeys."

God says in the Holy Quran what means "Say ye: we believe in God, and the revelation given to us, and to Abraham, Ismail Isaac, Jacob, and the tribes, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to (all) prophets from their Lord: we make no difference between one and another of them: and we bow to God (in Islam)."

We understand from these Holy verses that :

A Moslem can't be a true believer unless he believed in all the prophets and their Holy Books and his belief is not complete if he doesn't believe in them , the same concept is stressed in many Holy Hadiths , So a Moslem should respect the adherents of the other religions.

The first charter of human right in human history

After migrating to Medina , the prophet laid the foundation of the Islamic state which quickly became a strong country , there were many religions in Medina and the surrounding town , prophet Mohammed depended on two important principles which God has shown in his Holy book (Quran) ;these are

God says what means in the Holy Quran what means" Call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and fair exhortation, and reason with them in the better way. Lo! thy Lord is best aware of him who strayeth from His way, and He is Best Aware of those who go aright.( Al-Nahl :125)

God says what means in the Holy Quran what means " let there be no compulsion in religion "

These are the two major principles that the prophet and his caliphs depended on spreading Islam

It was a state where democracy is best seen , people lived side by side ,cooperating . A Moslem was entitled to call for Allah on the above-mentioned Divine principles , History did not record a single incident in which the prophet compelled any one to accept Islam , most of those who embrace Islam accept it because it was in complete conformity with the law of nature , most of them accepted Islam because of the tolerance they found in it . Islam is the fast-growing religion in the world now , did any Moslem carry his sword to compel any one to accept Islam today .

Today Moslem are the weakest , misrepresented and their prophet is mocked on newspapers . Media heaps fallacies against Islam . wars are launched everywhere against Islam ,with all of these the following authenticated reports says "

• Islam is the fastest-growing religion in America, a guide and pillar of stability for many of our people..." HILLARY RODMAN CLINTON, Los Angeles Times, May 31, 1996, p.3
• Already more than a billion-people strong, Islam is the  world’s fastest-growing religion.  ABCNEWS, Abcnews.com

• "Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the country." NEWSDAY, March 7, 1989, p
• "Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the United States..." NEW YORK TIMES, Feb 21, 1989, p.1
• Moslems are the world's fastest-growing group..." USA TODAY, The population reference bureau, Feb. 17, 1989, p.4A
• "Mohamed is the most successful of all Prophets and religious personalities. "  Encyclopedia Britannica
• "There are more Muslims in North America then Jews Now." Dan Rathers, ABCNEWS
• "Islam is the fastest growing religion in North America ." TIMES MAGAZINE

Prophet Mohammed set the first human constitution for minorities

Humanity did not know such a constitution for the minorities except in modern age though still violated from time ; the difference here between any human constitution and that of prophet Mohammed is that prophet Mohammed's is sacred and any violation by any Moslem was considered a sin ; the constitutions and agreements violation ,now , are protected by Veto on the part of super power .

Part of the constitution reads as follows:

The Jews of Banu `Awf are one nation with the Muslims; the Jews have their religion and the Muslims have theirs, their freedmen and their persons shall be protected except those who behave unjustly or sinfully, for they hurt but themselves and their families. The same applies to the Jews of Banu an-Najjar, Banu al-Harith, Banu Sa'idah, Banu Jusham, Banu al-Aws, Banu Tha'labah, and the Jafnah, clan of the Tha'labah and Banu al-Shua'ibah. Doing good deeds is a protection against sinfulness. …….There is no responsibility except for one's own deeds….This document shall not constitute any protection for the unjust or the wrongdoers.

Whoever goes out to fight or stays at home is safe in the city, unless he has committed an injustice or a crime. God is the protector of whoever honors his commitment to this document, and is God-fearing and so is Muhammad, the Messenger of God. (Ibn Hisham)

The Constitution of Medina was a historical document authored and dictated by Prophet Muhammad as the law of a land inhabited by different ethnic groups and nationalities. The document secured and promoted cooperation and fraternity among all people of any creed, color, ethnicity, and lineage, and set down the criterion of righteousness as the base of distinction.

Respect for the Human Soul:

In addition to the legislation that the Prophet laid down in Medina, he also practiced the spirit of acceptance and respect for those who were different in his daily life. The Prophet used to visit the sick people among the Jews as well as the Muslims; and when on one occasion the funeral procession of a Jew passed before him, he stood up as a sign of respect for the deceased. “Why did you stand up for a Jewish funeral?” he was asked. The Prophet replied: "Is it not a human soul?" (Al-Bukhari)

Prophet Mohamed's Charter of Privileges to Christians

In 628 C.E. Prophet Mohammad (s) granted a Charter of Privileges to the monks of St. Catherine Monastery in Mt. Sinai. It consisted of several clauses covering all aspects of human rights including such topics as the protection of Christians, freedom of worship and movement, freedom to appoint their own judges and to own and maintain their property, exemption from military service, and the right to protection in war.

An English translation of that document is presented below.

This is a message from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them. Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by Allah! I hold out against anything that displeases them.

No compulsion is to be on them.

Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries.

No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims' houses.Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God's covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate.

No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight.The Muslims are to fight for them.

If a female Christian is married to a Muslim , it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray.

Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants.

No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world).

, Prophet Mohamed forbade harming non-Muslims and asked Muslims to treat them well. He once said, He who harms a Jew or a Christian will find me his opponent on the Day of Judgment.

When a Christian delegation of Abyssinia came to Medina, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) put them up in the mosque and personally took care of them. Upon serving them food, he said that they had been so generous and honorable to his companions who had emigrated earlier to Abyssinia, that he would like to honor them himself.

When a Christian delegation came to Medina from Najran, a town in southwest Arabia, the Prophet received them in his mosque and invited them to perform their prayers inside the mosque. The Muslims with the Prophet prayed on one side of the mosque and the Christians on the other side. During their visit, the prophet discussed many ideas with them in a polite and gentle manner.

Prophet concerned himself so much of treating non-Moslem so well to the extent the he stated that any attempt of violating their rights would antagonize him and as a result incurs God's wrath .

Prophet Mohamed says " Whoever kills a person who has a truce with the Muslims will never smell the fragrance of Paradise.” (Saheeh Muslim)

And also says “Beware!  Whoever is cruel and hard on a non-Muslim minority, or curtails their rights, or burdens them with more than they can bear, or takes anything from them against their free will; I (Prophet Muhammad) will complain against the person on the Day of Judgment.” (Abu Dawud)

Islam respects the other's places of worshipping .

prophet Mohammed ordered his nation to respect the temples of worshipping and history did not record a single incident of attacking the temples or the churches during the age of the prophet and even during the ages of the caliphs

Omer Ibn AL-Khatab , the second Caliph and one of those who followed the footsteps of prophet Mohammed  , materialized the spirit of tolerance in Islam in the following situation when he entered Jerusalem in the year 634, Omer had a meeting with some priests in one of the famous churches on Jerusalem . while he was sitting with them , the time of the Moslem prayer was declared , the priests asked him to pray in one of the corners of the church but he preferred to do the prayer at the gate of the church instead , Omer said if I prayed inside the church , the Moslem would come later and claim the ownership of the church saying " Here Omer did his prayer."

The following situation reflects the tolerance and justice towards non-Moslems :

A Coptic, Christian sect in Egypt, woman came to Omar complaining that the Muslim governor Amru-Ibn Al-`As took her house in order to add the land to an adjacent site being used for the construction of a mosque. Omar inquired into the matter and was told by Amr that the Muslims had increased in number and needed to expand the mosque. Amr explained that he had offered the Coptic woman a great deal of money, but when she refused, Amr left the money in a fund for her to take it anytime she wanted. Though many modern laws permit such a procedure, Omar did not accept it according to Islamic principles. He ordered the Muslims to stop the expansion of the mosque and rebuild the Christian woman's house, as it had been before.

The Jizya, a tax collected from non-Muslims in Islamic territories in return for military protection and other benefits provided by the state, has also been the subject of misunderstanding. When the Muslims discovered that they had withdrawn from the city of Homs and could no longer protect the people there as they had promised, they paid the Jizya back to them. Muslims themselves actually paid a tax called Zakat which was several times more than the Jizya.

One day Omar Ibnul-Khatab saw an old man begging for alms in the street. Omar asked who he was and was told he was a Jew. Omar took him by the hand to his house, gave him food and money and sent him to the Muslim Treasury, saying, Give this man from the Muslim money. Is it right to take money [the Jizya] from him as a young man, and neglect him as an old man? This is not possible in Islam.

The son of the Muslim governor of Egypt once had a horse race with a Coptic man, which the Coptic Christian won. Angry, the son of the Muslim governor lashed the Copt with his whip. The man brought his case to Omar Ibnul-Khatab at the time of Hajj, the annual Muslim pilgrimage. In front of the general assembly of Muslims, Omar gave his whip to the Coptic man, saying, Beat the one who beat you. Then Omar scolded Amr, the boy's father and conqueror of Egypt, saying: When did you enslave the men who were born free by birth?

Offices in the Islamic states were given to those who were best qualified, regardless of their beliefs or backgrounds. For example, Ibn Athal, a Christian physician, was the private doctor of the caliph Muawya, the founder of the Umayyad state. Another Umayyad caliph, Abdul-Malik Ibn Marwan, appointed two Christians, Athanasius and Isaac, to top positions in the state of Egypt. Adud Al-Dawla, an Abbassid caliph, made Nasr Ibn Haroun, a Christian, his prime-minister, giving him authority to rule over Iraq and southern Persia.

Islam not only maintains the non-Muslims rights and places of worships but goes far beyond this , it is that great religion  that inspires love and tolerance and sense of love towards the other .

Omer was reported that he once slaughtered a sheep , when his servant began to cut the meat , Omer asked him to go to his Jewish neighbor to give him his hare (for free) , he kept asking his servant to do that . when he was asked why so many he repeated this demand , he said " the words of the prophet still echoes in my ears , he kept commanding us to do well and be kind to the neighbor that we thought he will inherit him "

Equality before the court

Islam has set equality between Moslem and non-Moslems before the court in all the different causes , The human history recorded unique incidents in this regard . Islam never overlooked the rights of non-Moslem even if the litigant is one of the Moslem elite. The litigant here is not a mere Moslem , he is one of the first pioneers in Islam .  A Jew came to rise a lawsuit against Aly Ibn Aby Taleb before Caliph Omer Ibn Al-Khatab . Omer ordered Aly to sit next to his litigant . Aly's face bespoke dissatisfaction . when Omer finished he said to Aly " you seem to be dissatisfied with something –is it because I ordered you to sit next to your litigant ..Aly said " No , I was dissatisfied because you denominated me , I am afraid the Jew might think that justice is lost in Islam "

Also , the following situation is much more expressive , the Caliph Aly ibn Aby-Taleb once lost his shield which he found among the possession of a Jew . Aly ibn AbyTaleb brought a suit against the Jew before the Shoryah ,the Judge of the state , saying that the shield with the Jew is mine and I didn't sell it or grant it to him . The Jew replied saying " though Aly is not a liar but the shield is mine." The judge asked Aly to forward any evidence but Aly laughed as had no evidence against the man . So the Judge adjudicated that the shield should go to the Jew ..the Jew took the shield and walked a few steps and then came beck affected and said " this is the canon of prophets ……the caliph brings me to the judge of his state who passes a judgment against him …..I testify that no god but Allah and that Mohammed is his messenger ----O' caliph ..this shield is yours  , I swear by God "

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The Signs of God

“Say: ‘Praise be to God. He will show you His Signs and you will recognize them. Your Lord is not heedless of anything you do.’” (Quran 27:93)

“This is a communication to be transmitted to mankind so that they can be warned by it and so that they will know that He is One God and so that people of intelligence will pay heed.” (Quran 14:52)

In many other verses, God emphasizes that one of the most crucial purposes of the Quran’s revelation is to invite people to ponder.

In the Quran, God invites people to reject blindly accepting the beliefs and values society imposes on them and to ponder by pushing aside all the prejudices, taboos and constraints on their minds.

Man must think on how he came into being, what the purpose of his life is, why he will die and what awaits him after death. He must question how he, himself, and the whole universe came into existence and how they continue to exist. While doing this, he must relieve himself of all constraints and prejudices.

By thinking while isolating his conscience from all social, ideological and psychological obligations, the person should eventually perceive that the entire universe, including himself, is created by a superior power. Even when he examines his own body or any other thing in nature, he will see an impressive harmony, plan and wisdom at work within its design.

Concerning this point again, the Quran guides man. In the Quran, God guides us as to what we should reflect on and investigate. With the methods of reflection given in the Quran, he who has faith in God will better perceive God’s perfection, eternal wisdom, knowledge and power in His creation. When a believing person starts to think in the way shown in the Quran, he soon realizes that the whole universe is a sign of God’s power and art, and that, “nature is a work of art, not the artist itself”. Every work of art exhibits the exceptional skills of the one who has made it and conveys his messages.

In the Quran, people are summoned to contemplate numerous events and objects that clearly testify to the existence and uniqueness of God and His attributes. In the Quran, all these beings that bear witness are designated as “signs”, meaning “tested evidence, absolute knowledge and expression of truth”. Therefore, the signs of God comprise all the beings in the universe in that they disclose and communicate the being and attributes of God. Those who can observe and remember will see that the entire universe is entirely composed of the signs of God.

This, indeed, is the responsibility of mankind: to be able to see the signs of God. Thus, such a person will come to know the Creator who created him and all other things, draw closer to Him, discover the meaning of his existence and his life and so prosper.

Each thing, the breath a human takes; political and social developments; the cosmic harmony in the universe; the atom, which is one of the smallest pieces of matter, is each a sign of God, and they all operate under His control and knowledge, abiding by His laws. Recognizing and knowing the signs of God calls for personal effort. One will recognize and know the signs of God in accordance with his own wisdom and conscience.

Undoubtedly, some guidelines may also help. As the first step, one can investigate certain points stressed in the Quran in order to acquire the mentality that perceives the whole universe as an articulation of the things created by God.

God’s signs in nature are emphasized in a chapter call “The Bee”:

“It is He who sends down water from the sky. From it you drink and from it come the shrubs among which you graze your herds. And by it He makes crops grow for you and olives and dates and grapes and fruit of every kind. Therein is certainly a sign in that for people who reflect. He has made the night and the day subservient to you, and the sun, the moon and the stars, all subject to His command. Therein are certainly signs in that for people who use their intellect. And also, the things of varying colors He has created for you in the earth. There is certainly a sign in that for people who pay heed. It is He who made the sea subservient to you so that you can eat fresh flesh from it and bring out from it ornaments to wear. And you see the ships cleaving through it so that you can seek His bounty, and so that perhaps you may show thanks. He cast firmly embedded mountains on the earth so it would not move under you, and rivers, pathways, and landmarks so that perhaps you might be guided. And they are guided by the stars. Is He Who creates like him who does not create? O will you not pay heed?”(Quran 16:10-17)

In the Quran, God invites men of understanding to think about the issues which other people overlook or just dismiss using such barren terms as “evolution”, “coincidence”, or “a miracle of nature”.

In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day, there are Signs for people of intelligence: those who remember God standing, sitting and lying on their sides, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth:

“Our Lord, You did not create this for nothing. Glory be to You! So guard us from the punishment of the Fire.” (Quran 3:191)

As we see in these verses, people of understanding see the signs of God and try to comprehend His eternal knowledge, power and art by remembering and reflecting on them, for God’s knowledge is limitless, and His act of creating flawless.

For men of understanding, everything around them is a sign of this creation.

Seven Common Questions about Islam

 

1.      What is Islam?

 

Islam is the name of the religion, or more properly the ‘way of life’, which God (Allah) has revealed and which was practiced by all of the Prophets and Messengers of God that He sent to mankind.  Even the name stands out unique among other religions in that it means a state of being; it does not refer to any particular person, such as Christianity, Buddhism or Zoroastrianism; a tribe like Judaism; or a nation like Hinduism.  The root Arabic word from which Islam is derived implies peace, safety, salutation, protection, blamelessness, wholesomeness, submission, acceptance, surrender, and salvation.  Islam specifically means being in the state of submission to God, worshipping Him Alone, and reverently accepting and obeying His Law.  Through this submission, the peace, security, and wholesome well-being implied in its literal meaning is achieved.  Hence, a Muslim or Muslimah is a person (male or female) in that state of submission.  A person’s Islam weakens through sins, ignorance, and wrong-doing, and becomes nullified in totality by associating partners with God or disbelieving in Him.

 

2.      What are Muslims?

 

The Arabic word “Muslim” literally means “someone who is in a state of Islam (submission to the will and law of God)”.  The message of Islam is meant for the entire world, and anyone who accepts this message becomes a Muslim.  Some people mistakenly believe that Islam is just a religion for Arabs, but nothing could be further from the truth.  In actuality, over 80% of the world's Muslims are not Arabs! Even though most Arabs are Muslims, there are Arabs who are Christians, Jews and atheists.  If one just takes a look at the various peoples who live in the Muslim World - from Nigeria to Bosnia and from Morocco to Indonesia - it is easy enough to see that Muslims come from all different races, ethnic groups, cultures and nationalities.  Islam has always been a universal message for all people.  This can be seen in the fact that some of the early companions of the Prophet Muhammad were not only Arabs, but also Persians, Africans and Byzantine Romans.  Being a Muslim entails complete acceptance and active obedience to the revealed teachings and laws of God the Exalted.  A Muslim is a person who freely accepts basing his beliefs, values and faith on the will of Almighty God.  In the past, even though you do not see it as much today, the word “Mohammedans” was often used as a label for Muslims.  This label is a misnomer, and is the result of either willful distortion or sheer ignorance.  One of the reasons for the misconception is that Europeans were taught for centuries that Muslims worshipped the Prophet Muhammad in the same way that Christians worship Jesus.  This is absolutely not true, since one is not considered a Muslim if he worships anyone or anything besides God the Exalted.

 

3.      Who is Allah?

 

Often one hears the Arabic word “Allah” being used in discussions regarding Islam.  The word “Allah” is simply the Arabic word for Almighty God, and is the same word used by Arabic speaking Christians and Jews.  As a matter of fact, the word Allah was in use far before the word God ever came into existence, since English is a relatively new language.  If one were to pick up an Arabic translation of the Bible, one would see the word “Allah” being use where the word “God” is used in English.  For instance, Arabic speaking Christians say that Jesus is, according to their canon belief, the Son of Allah.  In addition, the Arabic word for Almighty God, “Allah”, is quite similar to the word for God in other Semitic languages.  For example, the Hebrew word for God is “Elah”.  For various reasons, some non-Muslims mistakenly believe that Muslims worship a different God than the God of Moses and Abraham and Jesus.  This is certainly not the case, since the Pure Monotheism of Islam calls all people to the worship of the God of Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and all the other prophets, peace be upon them.

 

4.      Who is Muhammad?

 

The last and final prophet whom God sent to humanity was the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him.  At the age of forty, he received the revelation from God.  He then spent the remaining portion of his life explaining, and living the teachings of Islam, the religion that God revealed to him.  The Prophet Muhammad is the greatest of all prophets for many reasons, but primarily because he was chosen by God to be the last prophet - whose mission to guide humanity would continue until the Last Day - and because he has been sent as a mercy to all of mankind.  The result of his mission has brought more people into the pure belief in One God than any other prophet.  Since the beginning of time, God sent prophets to the earth, each one to his own specific nation.  The Prophet Muhammad, however, was sent as the final Messenger to all of humanity.

Even though other religious communities have claimed to believe in One God, over time, some corrupted ideas entered into their beliefs and practices leading them away from the pure sincere monotheism of the prophets.  Some took their prophets and saints as intercessors with Almighty God.  Some even believed that their prophets were the manifestations of God, or “God Incarnate” or the “Son of God”.  All of these misconceptions lead to the worship of created beings instead of the Creator, and contributed to the idolatrous practice of believing that Almighty God may be approached through intermediaries.  In order to guard against these falsehoods, the Prophet Muhammad always emphasized that he was only a human-being with the mission of preaching and obeying God's message.  He taught Muslims to refer to him as “the Messenger of God and His Slave”.  Through his life and teachings, God made Muhammad the perfect example for all people - he was the exemplary prophet, statesman, military leader, ruler, teacher, neighbor, husband, father and friend.  Unlike other prophets and messengers, the Prophet Muhammad lived in the full light of history, and all his sayings and acts were meticulously recorded and collected.  Muslims don't need to have mere ‘faith’ that he existed, or that his teachings are preserved - they know it to be a fact.  God took it upon Himself to protect the message revealed to Muhammad from distortion or from being forgotten or lost.  This was necessary because God promised that Muhammad was to be the final Messenger to mankind.  All of God's Messengers preached the message of Islam - i.e.  submission to the law of God and the worship of God alone – but Muhammad is the last prophet of Islam who brought the final and complete message which was never to be changed until the Last Day.

 

5.      What are the Teachings of Islam?

 

The foundation of the Islamic faith is belief in absolute Monotheism (the Oneness of God).  This means to believe that there is only one Creator and Sustainer of everything in the Universe, and that nothing is divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Him.  Truly, believing in the Oneness of God means much more than simply believing that there is “One God” - as opposed to two, three or four.  There are a number of religions that claim belief in “One God” and believe that ultimately there is only one Creator and Sustainer of the Universe, but true monotheism is to believe that only the One True Deity is to be worshipped in accordance to the revelation He sent to His Messenger.  Islam also rejects the use of all intermediaries between God and Man, and insists that people approach God directly and reserve all worship for Him alone.  Muslims believe that Almighty God is Compassionate, Loving and Merciful.

A common misconception is the claim that God cannot forgive His creatures directly.  By over-emphasizing the burden and penalty of sin, as well as claiming that God cannot forgive humans directly, people often despair of the Mercy of God.  Once they become convinced that they cannot approach God directly, they turn to false gods for help, such as heroes, political leaders, saviors, saints, and angels.  We often find that the people who worship, pray to, or seek intercession from these false deities, do not consider them to be a ‘god’.  They claim belief in One Supreme God, but claim that they pray to and worship others beside God only to get closer to Him.  In Islam, there is a clear distinction between the Creator and the created.  There is no ambiguity or mystery in issues of divinity: anything that is created does not deserve to be worshipped; only Allah, the Creator, is worthy of being worshipped.  Some religions falsely believe that God has become part of His creation, and this has led people to believe that they can worship something created in order to reach their Creator.

Muslims believe that even though God is Unique and Exalted beyond speculative comprehension, He definitely has no partners, associates, peers, antagonists or offspring.  According to Muslim belief, Allah “neither begets, nor was He begotten” - neither literally, allegorically, metaphorically, physically or metaphysically.  He is Absolutely Unique and Eternal.  He is in control of everything and is perfectly capable of bestowing His infinite Mercy and Forgiveness to whomever He chooses.  That is why Allah is also called the All-Powerful and Most-Merciful.  Allah has created the Universe for man, and as such wants the best for all human beings.  Muslims see everything in the Universe as a sign of the Creatorship and Benevolence of Almighty God.  Also, the belief in the Oneness of Allah is not merely a metaphysical concept.  It is a dynamic belief that affects ones view of humanity, society and all aspects of practical life.  As a logical corollary to the Islamic belief in the Oneness of Allah, is its belief in the oneness of mankind and humanity.

 

6.      What is the Quran?

 

The Quran is the final revelation of Allah to all of mankind, which was spoken by Allah the Exalted Himself and conveyed through the Arch-Angel Gabriel in Arabic to the Prophet Muhammad, in sound, word and meaning.  The Quran, (sometimes incorrectly spelled Koran), was then relayed to the Prophet's companions, and they diligently memorized it verbatim and meticulously complied it into written form.  The Holy Quran has been continually recited by the companions of the Prophet and their successors until the present day.  In short, the Quran is the revealed book of Divine scripture from Allah to all humanity for their guidance and salvation.

Today the Quran is still memorized and taught by millions of people.  The language of the Quran, Arabic, is still a living language to millions of people.  Unlike the scriptures of some other religions, the Quran is still read in its original language by countless millions of people.  The Quran is a living miracle in the Arabic language, and it is known to be inimitable in its style, form and spiritual impact, as well as the unique knowledge that it contains.  The Quran was revealed in a series of revelations to the Prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years.  In contrast to many other religious books, the Quran was always believed to be the exact Word of Allah.  The Quran was recited publicly in front of both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities during the life of the Prophet Muhammad, and thereafter.  The entire Quran was also completely written down in the lifetime of the Prophet, and numerous companions of the Prophet memorized the entire Quran word-for-word as it was revealed.  The Quran was always in the hands of the common believers: it was always thought to be God's word; and, due to wide-spread memorization, it was perfectly preserved.  Never was any part of it altered or decreed by any religious council.  The teachings of the Quran comprise a universal scripture addressed to all of mankind and not to any particular tribe or ‘chosen people’.  The message that it brings is nothing new but the same message of all of the prophets: 'submit to Allah the One God and worship Him alone and follow Allah's Messengers for success in this life and salvation in the hereafter'.  As such, Allah's revelation in the Quran focuses on teaching human beings the importance of believing in the Oneness of Allah, and framing their lives around the guidance which He has sent, which is articulated in the Islamic Law.  The Quran contains the stories of the previous prophets, such as Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus, peace be upon all of them, as well as commands and prohibitions from God.  In our modern times, in which so many people are caught up in doubt, spiritual despair and social and political alienation, the Quranic teachings offer solutions to the emptiness of our lives and the turmoil that is gripping the world today.

 

7.      How Do Muslims View the Nature of Man, the Purpose of Life and the Life Hereafter?

 

In the Holy Quran, Allah teaches human beings that they were created in order to glorify and worship Him, and that the basis of all true worship is God-consciousness.  All of Allah's creatures worship him naturally and only the humans have the free will to worship Allah their Creator or to reject Him.  This is a great test, but also a great honor.  Since the teachings of Islam encompass all aspects of life and ethics, God-consciousness is encouraged in all human affairs.  Islam makes it clear that all human acts are acts of worship if they are done for God alone and in accordance to His Divine Scripture and Law.  As such, worship in Islam is not limited to religious rituals, and for this reason it is more properly known as ‘way of life’ than a religion.  The teachings of Islam act as a mercy and a healing for the human soul, and qualities such as humility, sincerity, patience and charity are strongly encouraged.  Additionally, Islam condemns pride and self-righteousness, since Almighty God is the only judge of human righteousness.

The Islamic view of the nature of man is also realistic and well-balanced in that human beings are not believed to be inherently sinful, but are seen as equally capable of both good and evil; it is their choice.  Islam teaches that faith and action go hand-in-hand.  God has given people free-will, and the measure of one's faith is their deeds and actions.  However, since human beings have also been created innately weak and regularly fall into sin, they are in need of continually seeking guidance and repentance, which is, in itself , also a form of worship loved by Allah.  The nature of the human being as created by God in His Majesty and Wisdom, is not inherently ‘corrupt’ or in need of repair.  The avenue of repentance is always open to all.  Almighty God knew that humans were going to make mistakes, so the real test is whether they seek repentance for their sins and try to avoid them, or if they prefer a life of heedlessness and sin, knowing well that it is not pleasing to God.  The true balance of an Islamic life is established by having a healthy fear of Allah's rightful punishment for crimes and sins, as well as a sincere belief that Allah, in His infinite Mercy, takes pleasure in bestowing His reward for our good deeds and sincere worship to Him.  A life without fear of Allah leads to sin and disobedience, while believing that we have sinned so much that God will not possibly forgive us only leads to despair.  In the light of this fact, Islam teaches that only the misguided despair of the Mercy of their Lord, and only wicked criminals are devoid of the fear of Allah their Creator and Judge.  The Holy Quran as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, also contains a great deal of teachings about life in the hereafter and the Day of Judgment.  Muslims believe that all human beings will ultimately be judged by Allah, the Absolute Sovereign King and Judge, for their beliefs and actions in their earthly lives.  In judging human beings, Allah the Exalted will be both Absolutely Just, by only punishing the truly guilty and rebellious unrepentant criminals, and Absolutely Merciful for those people who He, in His wisdom, judges worthy of mercy.  None will be judged for that which was beyond their capacity, or for that which they did not actually do.  It is sufficient to say that Islam teaches that life is a test designed by Allah, the Creator, Almighty and Most Wise; and that all human beings will be accountable before Allah for what they did with their lives.  A sincere belief in the life of the hereafter is the key to leading a well-balanced and moral life.  Otherwise, life is viewed as an end in itself, which causes people to become more selfish, materialistic and immoral by their blind pursuit of pleasure even at the expense of reason and ethics.

16 Ways to Kick Bad Habits

Few things are more demanding than eliminating bad habits, since they are part of our daily routines and personality. It takes days of patience and practice to break old habits.

However, the good news is, Ramadan offers a perfect and natural environment for moral training. Interestingly, researches from ?positive psychology? (scientific study of successful people) have repeatedly shown it takes 30 days to kick a bad habit and develop a new one.

In addition to the physical discipline in the 30-day boot camp of Ramadan, the increased spiritual exercise and connection with Allah, can transform your habits for life.

Try these proven techniques for a successful positive change in your habits :

1. Acknowledge and identify your bad habits: First step is to admit you need to change. If you are in a state of denial, you won?t recognize that you have a bad habit to change.

2. Pick a habit for 30 days: Prioritize your bad habits and focus on one for 30 days. Take a 30-day trial to re-condition your habits. If you are committed to changing at least one habit, you will see remarkable results, God-willing.

3. Realize that it?s in us to change: Don?t believe the old saying, ?You can?t teach an old dog new tricks.? You can break a bad habit if you really want to. No one else can change your habits, if you don?t want to.

4. Remember, Allah loves those who commit mistakes and repent: Prophet Muhammad said:

?By Him in Whose Hand is my life, if you were not to commit sin, Allah would sweep you out of existence and He would replace (you by) those people who would commit sin and seek forgiveness from Allah, and He would have pardoned them.? [Sahih Muslim]

5. Intention & plan to change: ?If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.? A healthy process of change in character requires a gradual pace, which entails planning. Develop concrete milestones to measure your progress.

6. Replace a bad habit with a good one: Completely eliminating a habit is more challenging than replacing it with a more productive habit. Moreover, it?s crucial to replace the lost natural needs, such as the need to socialize and to be entertained with something healthy.

For instance, it?s easier to replace or balance your addiction to TV with a physical workout or reading, than to suddenly remove the TV from your life. Interestingly, Prophet Muhammad, the greatest ?psychologist? of humanity, illustrated this principle in these words:

?Fear Allah wherever you may be; follow up an evil deed with a good one which will wipe (the former) out, and behave good-naturedly towards people.? [At-Tirmidhi]

7. Change your environment: Resist the negative peer pressure by finding a better company of friends. Collective action to change is very powerful. Prophet Muhammad explained this peer pressure effect with this analogy:

?A good friend and a bad friend are like a perfume-seller and a blacksmith: The perfume-seller might give you some perfume as a gift, or you might buy some from him, or at least you might smell its fragrance. As for the blacksmith, he might singe your clothes, and at the very least you will breathe in the fumes of the furnace.? [Sahih al-Bukhari & Muslim]

8. Exercise (physical and spiritual): A habit of regular physical exercise is obviously important for lasting weight loss. But you may not realize that exercise helps in eliminating a number of bad habits. For example, among smokers who become competitive runners, for example, over 80% give up smoking.

Moreover, exercising your will power (struggle to fight temptations) for 30 days helps you kick all kinds of bad habits and form new good ones. Willpower is like a muscle; the more you exercise it, the more you strengthen it.

9. Think of yourself as a changed, different, new person: This simple psychological shift in your thinking about your own image can do wonders. Tell yourself, ?I can?t continue this ill-behavior. I am better than that. I am stronger. I am wiser.?

10. Reward success: The most fundamental law in all of psychology is the ?law of effect.? It simply states that actions followed by rewards are strengthened and likely to recur. Unfortunately, studies show that people rarely use this technique when trying to change personal habits.

Setting up formal or informal rewards for success greatly increases your chances of transforming bad habits into good ones, and is far more effective than punishing yourself for bad habits or setbacks. As Muslims we should also remember that the ultimate reward is Allah?s Pleasure and Paradise in the Hereafter.

11. Schedule / limit your bad habits: If you are really struggling to kick a bad habit, try limiting the habit to a specific time and place. Research and case studies confirm that this rather unconventional approach can be a useful first step in changing bad habits or learning new good ones.

12. Tell someone about your effort to change if it helps: He or she may keep you on track.

13. Resolve to continue on and follow up: Giving up bad habits or learning good habits requires regular maintenance and determination. It is a long, ongoing process, also known as ?Tazkiyyah? in Islamic terminology. It?s more difficult than the first few steps of change. (?How many times have I dieted, for example, only to gain the weight back??)

14. Remind yourself of death and hereafter often: ?Remember often the terminator (or destroyer) of all the pleasures [i.e. death],? the Prophet once stated. [At-Tirmidhi.]

15. Develop a relapse strategy: How do you ensure not to return to your bad habit you are trying to change? Some people donate money to a good cause every time they return to sinning or a bad habit. This reminds them of the ?cost? of going back to old bad habits. Others try physically demanding acts to deter them from reverting to old ways.

16. Ask Allah for help: Last but not least, make Asking for Allah?s Help an integral part of the overall change process. Ask for Allah?s Help before, during and after every attempt at kicking a bad habit. Do so sincerely, even begging and crying, like a child does when he or she really wants something. Allah is Ever-Willing to Help and to Respond to our needs, but it is us who must take the first step towards Him.

?And whosoever is conscious of Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He (Allah) will make a way for him to get out (from) every (difficulty), and He will provide him from (sources) he could never imagine.? [Quran 65:2-3]